Earlier this month, Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications signed an agreement with Luxembourg’s Ministry of State of the Grand Duchy to cooperate on the development of space network technology and satellite optical communications.
The agreement forms part of a broader Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in the digital field signed by Japanese Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Yoshimasa Hayashi in a visit to Luxembourg,[1] which positions itself as Europe’s commercial space hub.
A few days after the Luxembourg accord, reports[2] emerged that Japan is being tapped for participation in NATO’s “StarLift”, a multinational programme launched in 2024 to enable Luxembourg and 13 other allies share launch facilities and space-related capabilities in order to rapidly replace satellites.
For Japan, possible participation in StarLift is expected to provide backup satellite capabilities should Tokyo’s own systems fail, while also supporting economic growth for those regions in Japan that host satellite launch facilities.
Together, these developments raise questions about how Japan’s bilateral space cooperation with Luxembourg could connect with the broader NATO StarLift initiative.
Prospects for Japan–Luxembourg Space Sector Cooperation
Space communications cooperation under the Japan-Luxembourg MOC is likely to draw on Japan’s strengths in launch vehicles, on-orbit servicing and high-speed space communications and Luxembourg’s focus on satellite-powered monitoring and navigation services and space-enabled healthcare.[3]
One concrete outcome of the Japanese delegation’s May visit was an agreement between Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and Luxembourg-based Odysseus Space to advance optical communications between space terminals and ground stations.[4]
The delegation also visited ispace-EUROPE, the Luxembourg-based subsidiary of Japan’s ispace Inc. The visit highlighted how Japan-Luxembourg cooperation is not only limited to space communications, but also encompasses lunar exploration and robotics.[5]
The company developed “Tenacious,” a micro lunar rover intended to become the first European-built rover deployed on the Moon. It launched aboard ispace’s “Resilience” lander in 2025, although the mission ended without a successful landing or rover deployment.[6]
Tenacious was co-funded through LuxIMPULSE, Luxembourg’s national space programme operated by the Luxembourg Space Agency and implemented by the European Space Agency.[7]
The project thus highlights Luxembourg’s role as a financial and industrial hub for Japanese firms seeking to participate in European space programmes.
Taken together, these developments suggest that Luxembourg could serve as a gateway for deeper Japanese engagement with NATO-linked space initiatives such as StarLift.
Japan-Luxembourg Cooperation and the NATO StarLift Initiative
Japan’s space communications collaboration with Luxembourg could open several avenues for cooperation with NATO, with which Japan forged an agreement to enhance space security in 2023.[8]
Luxembourg is not only active in developing the commercial space sector, but is also positioning space as its niche defense contribution to NATO.[9]
As a participant in StarLift, Luxembourg is expected to support NATO’s access to space during crises or conflicts through a range of measures, including the purchasing of space data from commercial partners.[10]
In this context, the NICT project with Luxembourg’s Odysseus Space on high-speed space-to-ground optical communications could provide one avenue for a Japanese contribution to StarLift.
Japanese support for StarLift could also be provided through Spacenet, a commercial platform under the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) designed to allow industry to contribute to NATO’s space strategy. Japan is reportedly already participating as an industrial partner in Spacenet through NIAG.[11]
Outside of StarLift, Luxembourg is a key contributor to the NATO Strategic Space Situational Awareness System (3SAS), which aims to enhance the Alliance’s ability to monitor and respond to threats in space, including space debris and hostile activity.
Here too, Japan could potentially contribute technological capabilities. One relevant example is a Japan Ministry of Defense demonstration project that combines laser ranging, a grapple mechanism and proximity operations technology by three different private companies for a system designed to help protect satellites operating in geostationary orbit.
Conclusion
Japan’s MOC with Luxembourg is set to deepen cooperation on communications in space. This can be expected to help build upon increasing Japanese private-sector involvement in Luxembourg, which acts as a key space industrial and investment hub in Europe.
Meanwhile, Luxembourg’s status as a founding member of NATO, combined with its focus on space as a key niche for supporting the transatlantic alliance’s defence requirements, could allow the country to act as a possible gateway for Japanese participation in a range of NATO initiatives like StarLift.
Thus, Luxembourg could serve as a practical bridge to match technological seeds in Japan’s commercial space sector with the needs of the broader NATO alliance.
Notes:
[1] “Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan and Ministry of State of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in the digital field”, May 4, 2026, https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/joho_tsusin/eng/pressrelease/2026/pdf/20260507_4_1.pdf.
[2] Nikkei Shimbun, “NATOと日本、衛星打ち上げ拠点の相互利用検討 非常時の対応力向上” [NATO and Japan to consider mutual use of satellite launch sites to improve emergency response capabilities], May 10, 2026, https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOGR01BLR0R00C26A5000000/.
[3] Luxembourg Space Agency, “Vision”, https://space-agency.public.lu/en/vision.html.
[4] Odysseus Space, “Odysseus Space has signed a Collaborative Research Agreement with Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) to advance optical satellite communications.” May 5, 2026, https://www.odysseusspace.com/news/Odysseus%20Space%20Signs%20Collaborative%20Research%20Agreement%20with%20Japan%E2%80%99s%20NICT%20to%20Advance%20Optical%20Satellite%20Communications.
[5] John E Kaye, “Japan and Luxembourg deepen space ties as lunar race gathers pace”. The European, May 12, 2026, https://the-european.eu/story-60632/japan-and-luxembourg-deepen-space-ties-as-lunar-race-gathers-pace.html.
[6] Marcia Dunn, “Japanese company blames laser tool for its 2nd crash landing on the moon”. Associated Press, June 24, 2025, https://apnews.com/article/ispace-japan-moon-landing-crash-3598065a23f036d684ad8cd989791ad4
[7] European Space Agency, “ESA supports Moon mission carrying first European rover”, June 3, 2025, https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/ESA_Ground_Stations/ESA_supports_Moon_mission_carrying_first_European_rover.
[8] NATO, “Individually Tailored Partnership Programme between NATO and Japan for 2023 – 2026”, July 12, 2023, https://www.nato.int/en/about-us/official-texts-and-resources/official-texts/2023/07/12/individually-tailored-partnership-programme-between-nato-and-japan-for-2023-2026.
[9] RTL Today, “Luxembourg charts own course in defence innovation”, April 25, 2025, https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/luxembourg-charts-own-course-in-defence-innovation-2297206.
[10] These Allies are: Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and the United States. NATO, “NATO launches five new multinational cooperation initiatives that enhance deterrence and defence”, October 17, 2024, https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/articles/news/2024/10/17/nato-launches-five-new-multinational-cooperation-initiatives-that-enhance-deterrence-and-defence.
[11] Laura Heckmann, “JUST IN: Japan Has Role to Play in NATO Space Strategy”. National Defense, October 18, 2024, https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2024/10/18/japan-has-role-to-play-in-nato-space-strategy.
This article was originally posted on NSBT Japan, the first defense and security industry network in Japan. The publication provides the latest information on security business trends both within Japan and overseas. Asian Military Review began exchanging articles with NSBT Japan in April 2024.
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