ESA Director of Strategy, Legal and External Matters, Eric Morel de Westgaver, presented the announcement during Nihonbashi Space Week and emphasized the decades-long partnership between Japan and European space organizations. ESA and JAXA work together on projects such as the EarthCARE Earth observation mission, the BepiColombo Mercury mission, and Hera's asteroid studies.
New joint plans include coordinating launches for the Ramses and Destiny+ planetary defense missions. ESA's Director General Josef Aschbacher stated that establishing a permanent ESA office in Japan demonstrates the agency's intention to enhance collaboration across all areas of space, including Earth observation, planetary defense, and exploration, as well as commercial initiatives.
JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa welcomed the move, noting that a Tokyo office will support more direct communication and help advance joint scientific work. In November 2024, the two agencies signed a Joint Statement on Next Big Cooperations, detailing future collaborative missions in planetary defense, Earth observation, low Earth orbit, and space science.
The ESA office in X-IHONBASHI TOWER, operated by Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. and Cross U, will facilitate coordination among government, academia, and the commercial sector, further integrating ESA into Japan's space business community. ESA's model for strategic outposts draws on its Washington Office example, supporting bilateral engagement and enabling joint program initiatives at the local level. Both organizations are focused on advancing sustainable space use, climate monitoring, and expanding global space technology cooperation.
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