TOKYO: The government aims to put a Japanese astronaut on the moon in the late 2020s, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio said Tuesday.

Kishida made the remark at a meeting of the Strategic Headquarters for Space Development, which revised a timetable for measures under the government’s basic plan on space policy.

The revised version shows more details about Japanese projects to be implemented ahead of the U.S.-led Artemis manned lunar probe project, in which Japan is set to participate.

Specifically, Japan will work to develop equipment for a planned lunar station orbiting the moon and find out appropriate ways to travel on the moon.

Also planned are the establishment of a constellation of small satellites to grasp situations in disaster-hit areas swiftly and full preparations for the launch of a probe to survey the two moons of Mars slated for fiscal 2024.

JIJI Press