No. 118: Japanese small artificial satellites go abroad (July 31, 2010)

The Japanese government will sell small artificial satellites to emerging countries in alliance with the private sector. In the initial stage, it will sell a small artificial satellite to Vietnam. The governments of the two countries are close to reaching an agreement on a yen-loan-financed project that includes the launch of a satellite and the improvement of related infrastructure. The loan is estimated at 30 billion yen. Vietnam is scheduled to build a space center near Hanoi and launch a satellite for monitoring disasters in 2013. Japan is strong in the satellite station for mobile phone and satellite broadcast and the observation satellite for forest protection and resource exploration. A total of 128 global observation satellites were launched for the decade up to 2008, and a total of 260 satellites of this kinds is estimated to be launched for the decade after 2009. The Japanese government plans to expand the market to the Middle East and the South America in five years.