Arab News Japan

The Japan-France Comprehensive Dialogue on Space held its third meeting on Jan. 18-20 in Paris.

The Japanese delegation was led by KASAI Yasuyuki, Director General of the National Space Policy Secretariat, Cabinet Office and ISHIZUKI Hideo, Ambassador in charge of International Security Policy (Deputy Assistant-Minister, Foreign Policy Bureau). The French Delegation was led by Vincent Cousin, Deputy Secretary General for Defense and National Security.

The dialogue provided an opportunity to exchange information on the latest space policy of each side to further foster mutual trust and to hold discussions on civil space cooperation, space security cooperation and the possibility of cooperation via civil companies. After the meeting, a Joint Press Release was issued by both sides.

Participants of the meeting from Japan’s side included: the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Secretariat, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Defense and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

From France’s side, participants included: the General Secretariat for Defence and National Security, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Armed Forces, the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty and the National Centre for Space Research.

A preliminary meeting for the third dialogue was held online in November 2020. 

The first ever meeting of the Japan-France Comprehensive Dialogue on Space was held in March 2016.