Air and Space Self-Defense Force: Tie Reorganization to Enhancing Surveillance Capabilities

Editorial

16:47 JST, May 25, 2026

China and Russia are improving their ability to neutralize other countries’ satellites.

If Japanese or U.S. satellites were attacked, it would inevitably disrupt the operation of missile defense systems, state-of-the-art fighter jets and other equipment. Strengthening space surveillance is an urgent task.

The government plans to reorganize the Air Self-Defense Force into the Air and Space Self-Defense Force by the end of this year. To that end, related legislation is currently being deliberated in the Diet.

If realized, it would be the first renaming of an SDF branch since the forces, which consist of ground, maritime and air branches, were established in 1954.

The ASDF currently uses radar deployed in Yamaguchi Prefecture to monitor whether suspicious satellites are interfering with the functions of government intelligence-gathering satellites and other equipment.

After the aerospace SDF comes into existence, Japan plans to launch a new satellite to conduct surveillance from space. It also intends to increase the number of personnel in a specialized unit. Additionally, there are plans to use private commercial satellites for surveillance and intelligence gathering.

China and Russia have each conducted tests in which they used their own satellites as stand-ins for other countries’ satellites and destroyed them with missiles. They seem to have confirmed that such missile attacks are effective.

Aside from missiles, Beijing and Moscow are also advancing the development of so-called killer satellites designed to attack target satellites using robotics.

Currently, the SDF obtain sensitive information from intelligence-gathering satellites and the U.S. military’s early-warning satellites to conduct various missions, including surveillance and monitoring. If Japan were to monitor space using its own satellites, it would likely lead to a stronger alliance with the United States.

In recent years, private companies have also launched weather satellites and other spacecraft. In addition to the risk of attack by other nations, there is also the risk of collisions with space debris, which cannot be overlooked.

The planned aerospace SDF must strive both to defend Japan against attacks from other nations and to monitor private satellites and space debris.

The arms race in space is intensifying among major powers.

Russia is believed to be planning to deploy nuclear weapons in space. In 2024, a resolution banning the deployment of nuclear weapons in space was proposed at the U.N. Security Council, but Russia vetoed the resolution and it was rejected.

Meanwhile, the United States is also moving forward with plans to deploy numerous missile interceptor systems in space.

The Outer Space Treaty, which took effect in 1967, prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, but there are no provisions regarding interceptor systems. Japan and the United States, as well as China and Russia, have ratified the treaty, but it must be said that the treaty is ineffective.

Japan should take the lead in establishing new rules for space.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 25, 2026)