YM COLUMN ARCHIVE

May 22, 2008

On The Basic Space Law

Upper House plenary session passed the bill of Basic Space Law on May 21. Mass media belatedly reports that this will be a significant turning point for Japanese space development that had been focused on “peaceful purpose”. Several years ago when an information gathering satellite was launched, I already presented my strong doubt why we didn’t call it “reconnaissance satellite”. For advocating the opinion I myself underwent unpleasantness and even danger several times. Way back in a history Japanese government, maybe from a politically strategic viewpoint, did not deal straightforward with the problems of national police force and self-defense force. To create fait accompli on the excusable basis of “information gathering satellite is not a military satellite” is the same old trick. I still have an empty feeling why Japanese mass media as well as space related parties were so non-resistant at the time of information satellite. The Basic Space Law is only the second step to further grow the seeds sowed at the first time of information satellite only with legal backup this time.

There are four questions.

One: The first is about “military affair”. “Turning” from “non-military” to “un-aggressive” inevitably became controversial this time, too. In order to realize the scheme, all power is going to be endowed upon the Cabinet Office headed by Prime Minister for drawing up space development strategy. It is, in a way, true that a certain circle of space related people have a vague expectation for their space activity to be fairly treated as national strategy, although they have a doubt about emphasizing of militarization. But the nation that is unable to present the clear and solid goal before the people is also unable to rebuild the nation by this law. What comes next must be an explicit military use of space and money-making of some industrial group. Without giving a chance to the people of thinking about the militarization of the country, half-and-half way of “it may be questionable from military standpoint but it serves national policy as well”, instead of challenging peoples head-on by presenting the problem is really the big problem that we must tackle with seriously. What is imposed on adults who must leave the future Japan to the children is the duty to make the flow-trend to voice louder in the search for peace.

Two: The role of space activities in the history of humankind is not essentially understood. Japan’s space is only ranked second after priority No.1 of biochemistry, environment, information technology and nanotechnology. Basically, space is only considered as one of many activities. “Advancing to the space”, however, must be understood as steric structure to combine all the above four scientific fields. The USA visualized “People’s Dream” to unite mixed-race nation, which brought America’s strength in space. (Of course, we must not overlook the other side of aspect that the same vision was utilized for cold war against USSR and Viet Nam war.) Man needs dream. As in Japan today, politicians do not show the direction the nation should go so that peoples do not know which way we are heading for, unable to share the common sense of goal. That kind of nation becomes unstable and dark. Such may be the time we are facing now. For the people of this country, space must be “investment to the future”. If they position the space as national policy, its motive was already there from a long time ago. The real problem, I think, lies in the fact that without the motive of “from non-military to un-aggressive”, they simply could not gain momentum to position the space as national policy. Because of this ambiguous positioning of space, I suppose they did not give it all-out resistance to restraint limitation of “super 301” but placed the priority in the viewpoint “Japan being in common destiny with the States”. Such an easy compromise is obviously clear to trip up Japan.

Three: The third is the problem concerning industrialization of space. In any country space development is not “lucrative” business. It must be clearly positioned as investment to the future; otherwise we will make a big mistake. Depending only upon national budget of convoy system will not foster healthy space industry particularly under the severe international competition, and depending upon free marketing for making profits will damage non-profitable segments to consequently ruin industrial structure. Nevertheless, there is no other way for space industry but keep running. It’s a kind of too late to refer to “national policy” now; advocating national policy could be only justified if they did not abandon the then world No.1 technology of solid fuel propellant rocket of Japan at the time we needed it most. Healthy growth of industry is of course very important but industry is not all that is important. I think it is important for us Japanese to keep the attitude of sending out our messages to the world based upon the integrated conservation of our cultural heritages cultivated in each age of Japanese history. Many people worriedly keep watching how the revised law will be enforced. But in a way it is a sad thing indeed to feel that no new vision will be opened up if only depending upon the government policy. Only the thing we can do now in a sad situation of this country is to foster, through united efforts of people throughout every corner of this country, young power that will rebuild this nation upon the firm ground.

Four: The fourth is the problem concerning space science. Among many kinds of space activities of Japan, what is equally on the term with other countries of the world is only “science”. Without even trying to analyze why science alone could be competitive with other countries, they make a sweeping criticism on biased information; under such situation it is obviously clear even from now that the space strategy to be newly enforced will be also one-sidedly biased. I want to say many things on this theme but I think I’d better leave it to the other opportunity except one thing that is; it is the worst attitude on the part of scientists of modern times to participate in the discussion of the Basic Space Law by only expecting the increase of budget allocation to space science. We must consistently contribute to the history from broader point of view.

Until up to now we have been making “our age” as an old generation. In the field of space, too, our generation worked hard with maximum efforts and achieved something worthy enough. History is advancing. Past is constantly passed over by present to bring fourth the new age. The work to build future is to be shared by collaboration of old and new generations together. “Space” that requires a lot of money is, in a way, to be asked for the government to do it, but the real contents must be created by nothing else but our own will power to hopefully wish upon the space.

I welcome your opinions on this column to the following E-mail address.
matogawa@planetary.or.jp

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