Japan to set up space monitoring force by 2019 'to track debris'

Japan plans to create a space monitoring force within its military by about 2019, with the defence ministry having already informed the United States, a source familiar with Japan-US relations said.

The force would be initially responsible for monitoring dangerous debris floating in earth's orbit and protecting satellites from collisions, the source said.

The defence ministry has altered its strategy on the use of space to include the development of a force, following a 2008 enactment of a law revising the principles for Japan's non-military activities in space.

Japan would provide the US military with information obtained in the envisaged operation and seek to strengthen bilateral cooperation in space, the so-called "fourth battlefield", the source said.

The ministry reportedly plans to operate the force by using radar and telescope facilities in Okayama prefecture acquired from Japan Space Forum, a Tokyo-based think tank that coordinates aerospace-related activities among industry, government and academia.

Japan Space Forum owns the Spaceguard Centre radar facility in Kagamino and telescope facility in Ihara.