Arab News Japan 

TOKYO: Japan has followed the United States and Canada in deciding not to conduct direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile tests.

The Japanese government announced on Tuesday that it would refrain from such tests “in order to actively promote discussions in international forums concerning the development of norms of responsible behavior in outer space.”

According to the foreign ministry, the decision was made in consideration of the US government’s announcement in April that it would not conduct destructive ASAT tests.

The Japanese government said it “will continue to play an active role to achieve secure, stable and sustainable outer space including the development of norms of responsible behavior in outer space.”

In announcing the US decision in April, Vice-President Kamala Harris, who chairs the National Space Council, said such tests were reckless and dangerous, and urged other nations to follow suit.

The US, China, India and Russia have all carried out ASAT tests and have generated space debris in doing so.

In November last year, Russia test-launched an anti-satellite missile that struck a defunct Soviet-era spy satellite in low-Earth orbit that was said to have created at least 1,632 pieces of space debris. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station were forced to seek shelter in their docked capsule.

If space debris collides with functioning satellites, vital services like GPS and weather warnings could be put in jeopardy.