Japanese media: Japan plans to set up a second space force to vigorously improve its space combat ef

Original title: Japanese media: Japan plans to establish a second space force to vigorously improve space combat effectiveness
Reference News Network reported on September 14 that according to the website of the Japan Times on September 11, the source said on September 11 that the Japanese defense ministry plans to establish the second space combat force of the self defense force at the north base of the air self defense force in Yamaguchi Prefecture in fiscal year 2022.
It is reported that the space force will be responsible for monitoring destructive activities against Japanese satellites.
The report also said that Japan plans to catch up with the United States and other countries in the field of space, which is becoming a new field for world powers to compete.
It is reported that the plan to establish a new space force is included in the budget application of the Ministry of defense for fiscal year 2022 announced in August. The above-mentioned source said that the defense ministry later chose fangfu north base as the base of the new force because it was a suitable place to monitor satellites passing over Japan.
According to the report, the new space combat force will be composed of about 20 people to investigate the sources and characteristics of radio waves interfering with the communication between satellites and ground systems.
In May last year, the Ministry of defense established the "space operation team" at the air self defense force Fuchong base in Western Tokyo, which is the first space force of the self defense force. This force is mainly responsible for monitoring space debris that poses a threat to satellites.
The source said that the Ministry of defense is expected to set up a space combat command force at the Fuzhong base this fiscal year, with the goal of creating a "space combat group", which will be mainly composed of the existing and planned new space combat forces and the proposed command force.
In fiscal year 2022, the Ministry of defense will reorganize the "universe team" of the base in Fuzhong into the "first universe team", and establish a space system management force composed of about 10 people to manage relevant equipment. The source said that at that time, the total number of "cosmic battle group" will increase to about 120.
According to the report, the "space combat group" is expected to start full activities in fiscal 2023, when a space situational awareness system will be launched. Japan plans to launch a space situational awareness satellite before fiscal year 2026.