COPUOS法小委第62会期：議題3「一般発言」ステートメント（日本代表団長）
令和5年3月21日
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
Legal Subcommittee 62nd Session
Japan, Item 3 – “General exchange of views”
Madam Chair, Distinguished Delegates,
On behalf of the Japanese delegation, I am pleased to address the 62nd session of the Legal Subcommittee of COPUOS. I wish to stress that the Japanese delegation will support the Chair and work together with other Member States to achieve tangible results through our discussions.
Madam Chair,
Japan recognizes the importance of upholding the rule of law in outer space to ensure the safety, security, sustainability and stability of outer space activities.
A number of principles, declarations and guidelines for the peaceful uses of outer space in the form of UN General Assembly resolutions have been developed in the Committee since the early 1980s. Japan acknowledges the important role that these resolutions have played in complementing the existing treaties and we attach great importance to them..
Another important non-legally binding instrument on outer space is the LTS Guidelines. Japan encourages states and international intergovernmental organizations to implement the guidelines to the greatest extent possible. In this regard, Japan will continue to contribute to the work of the LTS 2.0 WG during the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of COPUOS.
Japan also appreciates efforts made by the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities to reach consensus on its terms of reference, methods of work and workplan, enabling us to begin the important and substantial work ahead of us. Japan is committed to the success of this Working Group and is looking forward to constructive discussions in the upcoming meetings.
Madam Chair,
Japan developed its national legislation on the peaceful exploration of outer space by establishing the Basic Space Act in 2008. In accordance with the Act, Japan published the Basic Plan on Space Policy, a comprehensive space policy of Japan. In 2016, Japan enacted two national space acts addressing non-governmental space activities and remote sensing data utilization.
Furthermore, in December 2021, the “Act on the Promotion of Business Activities for the Exploration and Development of Space Resources,” commonly known as the “Space Resources Act” of Japan, came into force. Through the implementation of this Act, Japan is committed to pursuing the exploration and utilization of space resources in line with international norms and frameworks. Japan also established the national guidelines for on-orbit servicing in November, 2021. We believe that the guidelines will facilitate "end-of-life service" and active debris removal provided by Japanese companies.
Madam Chair,
Japan acknowledges the importance of international cooperation in ensuring the safety, security, sustainability, and stability of outer space. In this regard, information sharing and exchanges on national space legislation are important to enhance space activities pursuant to the treaties and other international norms. The “National Space Legislation Initiative (NSLI)” under the activities of Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) provides a regional opportunity to contribute to these objectives.
Moreover, the Initiative is open to the national governmental organizations of the Asia-Pacific countries. Under this Initiative, a Study Group consisting of practitioners in space policy and law from nine countries, namely Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Viet Nam, conducted a joint study to draft a report on the status of national space legislation. This report was jointly submitted by the nine countries to the 60th session of the Legal Subcommittee of COPUOS, and is available on the LSC website. With the wide support of the APRSAF community, the second phase of the Initiative has launched and welcomed new participants from New Zealand, Singapore and Türkiye. The Initiative is going to submit its second report to the 66th session of COPUOS, in June.
As the host county of the APRSAF and a participating country of the Initiative, Japan will actively promote the activities of the Initiative to further enhance the development of national space legislation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Furthermore, in May 2021 the Government of Japan and UNOOSA announced their cooperation on UNOOSA’s “Space Law for New Space Actors” project. Through its cooperation with UNOOSA, Japan supports capacity-building of emerging spacefaring nations in the Asia-Pacific region to guide the drafting of national space laws and regulations in line with international space law.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Legal Subcommittee 62nd Session
Japan, Item 3 – “General exchange of views”
Madam Chair, Distinguished Delegates,
On behalf of the Japanese delegation, I am pleased to address the 62nd session of the Legal Subcommittee of COPUOS. I wish to stress that the Japanese delegation will support the Chair and work together with other Member States to achieve tangible results through our discussions.
Madam Chair,
Japan recognizes the importance of upholding the rule of law in outer space to ensure the safety, security, sustainability and stability of outer space activities.
A number of principles, declarations and guidelines for the peaceful uses of outer space in the form of UN General Assembly resolutions have been developed in the Committee since the early 1980s. Japan acknowledges the important role that these resolutions have played in complementing the existing treaties and we attach great importance to them..
Another important non-legally binding instrument on outer space is the LTS Guidelines. Japan encourages states and international intergovernmental organizations to implement the guidelines to the greatest extent possible. In this regard, Japan will continue to contribute to the work of the LTS 2.0 WG during the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of COPUOS.
Japan also appreciates efforts made by the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities to reach consensus on its terms of reference, methods of work and workplan, enabling us to begin the important and substantial work ahead of us. Japan is committed to the success of this Working Group and is looking forward to constructive discussions in the upcoming meetings.
Madam Chair,
Japan developed its national legislation on the peaceful exploration of outer space by establishing the Basic Space Act in 2008. In accordance with the Act, Japan published the Basic Plan on Space Policy, a comprehensive space policy of Japan. In 2016, Japan enacted two national space acts addressing non-governmental space activities and remote sensing data utilization.
Furthermore, in December 2021, the “Act on the Promotion of Business Activities for the Exploration and Development of Space Resources,” commonly known as the “Space Resources Act” of Japan, came into force. Through the implementation of this Act, Japan is committed to pursuing the exploration and utilization of space resources in line with international norms and frameworks. Japan also established the national guidelines for on-orbit servicing in November, 2021. We believe that the guidelines will facilitate "end-of-life service" and active debris removal provided by Japanese companies.
Madam Chair,
Japan acknowledges the importance of international cooperation in ensuring the safety, security, sustainability, and stability of outer space. In this regard, information sharing and exchanges on national space legislation are important to enhance space activities pursuant to the treaties and other international norms. The “National Space Legislation Initiative (NSLI)” under the activities of Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) provides a regional opportunity to contribute to these objectives.
Moreover, the Initiative is open to the national governmental organizations of the Asia-Pacific countries. Under this Initiative, a Study Group consisting of practitioners in space policy and law from nine countries, namely Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Viet Nam, conducted a joint study to draft a report on the status of national space legislation. This report was jointly submitted by the nine countries to the 60th session of the Legal Subcommittee of COPUOS, and is available on the LSC website. With the wide support of the APRSAF community, the second phase of the Initiative has launched and welcomed new participants from New Zealand, Singapore and Türkiye. The Initiative is going to submit its second report to the 66th session of COPUOS, in June.
As the host county of the APRSAF and a participating country of the Initiative, Japan will actively promote the activities of the Initiative to further enhance the development of national space legislation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Furthermore, in May 2021 the Government of Japan and UNOOSA announced their cooperation on UNOOSA’s “Space Law for New Space Actors” project. Through its cooperation with UNOOSA, Japan supports capacity-building of emerging spacefaring nations in the Asia-Pacific region to guide the drafting of national space laws and regulations in line with international space law.
Thank you for your kind attention.