Space Cooperation Highlighted in Japan State Visit

Prime Minister Kishida and President Biden stand together on a podium with uniformed military personnel holding U.S. and Japanese flags behind them

During today’s state visit by Japanese Prime Minister Kishida, the White House made several U.S.-Japan space cooperation announcements, including the completion of three ground stations for Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) on NOAA properties in Alaska, California, and Guam.

View joint statement at bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov

View fact sheet at bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov

The Office of Space Commerce coordinated the efforts to establish the NOAA-based QZSS sites over several years and is delighted to see the project come to full fruition. The new sites are now operational and enhancing the accuracy of QZSS, Japan’s version of GPS.

The selection, surveying, construction, and testing of the three ground stations took years of effort, coordinated on the U.S. side by the Office of Space Commerce. It occurred through the pandemic, which added major challenges.

Also announced: a Japanese astronaut will fly with NASA to become the first non-American to set foot on the Moon.