The Philippines and Japan are setting their relationship on space cooperation to a higher level as they signed an agreement during an online ceremony on June 11.
Director General Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano Jr. of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) signed on behalf of the Philippines, while President Dr. Yamakawa Hiroshi of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) signed for Japan, a news release from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
The signing ceremony was held simultaneously in Quezon City and Tokyo.
The memorandum of cooperation (MOC) aims to provide a framework of cooperation in a number of areas, including space applications, satellite development, space environment utilization; capacity building for space related technology development, space policy and legislation; space science and exploration; and promotion of space industry, PhilSA said on its web page
With the support of the DFA, the agreement also defines procedures of collaboration based on peaceful and mutually beneficial uses of outer space.
It should be noted that through the assistance of JAXA and Japanese universities, Filipino experts were able to develop the microsatellites Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, and cube satellites (cubesats) Maya-1 and Maya-2 that were launched in space separately a few years ago.
“As we sign this agreement, we look back to what our country has been able to achieve in space over a relatively short period of time, and how Japan has contributed substantially to those efforts,” Marciano said.
“Today, with JAXA, we look to further that cooperation as we continue to build forward, inspire and open more opportunities for Filipinos to access and benefit from space,” he added.
In his remarks, JAXA’s Yamakawa said: “I’m very pleased to say JAXA is the first foreign space agency to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation with PhilSA. We understand that PhilSA is actively recruiting talented individuals and steadily building its organisation. As PhilSA begins its full-scale activities, we will be happy to work with you if our experience can be of any help.”
Yamakawa added that through the cooperation, “JAXA hopes to jointly lead space activities in the Asia Pacific Region with PhilSA and contribute together with our space technology for socio economic development of the region.”
Marciano pointed out that with the cooperation, “We bring to this cooperation our people and their experience from the Diwata and Maya satellites, along with our investments in ground infrastructure and capabilities for processing and analyzing spaceborne data. Together, we will create even more value from these activities and cascade them further to society.”
Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose C. Laurel V commended both parties for this achievement, noting that this year also marks the 65th anniversary of Philippines-Japan relations, and the 10th year of both countries’ Strategic Partnership.
“I congratulate PhilSA and JAXA in laying this groundwork, and I, along with my colleagues in the Embassy, am proud to be part of this effort, because our small investments today will mobilize generations who come after us in their bid to conquer new frontiers. Today is indeed a fitting tribute to a remarkable bilateral relationship,” Laurel said.
This year, the Philippines’s Maya-2 cubesat was transported to the International Space Station through JAXA, and released into space to conduct scientific demonstration of imaging and store-and-forward communications.
Maya-2 was completed by Filipino engineers in cooperation with the Kyushu Institute of Technology, with funding from the Philippine government through the Department of Science and Technology.
JAXA has been a valuable partner of the Philippines in space science, technology and applications programs.
The Philippines also continues to engage in various activities spearheaded by JAXA, such as the annual Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF), the National Space Legislation Initiative and Sentinel Asia.
Through APRSAF and Sentinel Asia, JAXA has helped bring the benefits of space closer to Southeast Asia.
The Philippines, which hosted the APRSAF in 2016, has been regularly participating in its various working groups as a venue for exchanging experiences and best practices in space development and utilization.
Founded in 2003, JAXA was designed to support Japan’s aerospace research and development and utilization. It envisions the use of space to achieve a safe and affluent society.
Through the efforts of the PhilSA and the DFA the country also contributed to the drafting of the NSLI report, which was submitted to the 60th session of the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
PhilSA pointed out that this is the second international agreement that the barely two-year space agency has signed in two weeks.
On June 4, it inked a cooperation deal with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs for stronger collaboration on the use of space-based information for socioeconomic development and attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The other witnesses to the online ceremony were Japan’s Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko, JAXA’s Vice President Ishii Yasuo and Director for International Relations and Research Department Shoji Yoshikazu.
Also present were members of the Philippine Space Council, led by its Vice Chairman Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña of the Department of Science and Technology.
PhilSA was created by virtue of Republic Act 11363, “The Philippine Space Act,” which was enacted into law in 2019.
As the central government agency addressing all national issues and activities related to space science and technology applications, it is mandated to be the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing, and administrative entity of the Executive Branch of the government that will plan, develop, and promote the national space program.
PhilSA is directly attached to the Office of the President. It is headed by a Director General with the rank of a Cabinet Secretary, who also serves as the Presidential Adviser on Space Matters.