The European Space Agency (ESA) has established a new presence in Tokyo, Japan, its first in Asia. ESA will now have a staff member working in the heart of Tokyo’s thriving innovation hub X-Nihonbashi, reinforcing ESA’s long-standing and trusted partnership with Japan and working to deepen cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Japan’s vibrant and rapidly growing space ecosystem, including its start-up sector.

The announcement will be made on 28 October 2025 by Eric Morel de Westgaver, ESA Director of Strategy, Legal and External Matters, during a keynote speech at Nihonbashi Space Week. Marking more than 50 years of achievements shared by Europe and Japan he says: “This is a treasured cooperation, older than ESA itself, dating back to Japan’s cooperation with the European Space Research Organisation, one of ESA’s precursor organisations. Today, ESA and JAXA are together in low Earth orbit with the Earth observation mission EarthCARE, travelling through the Solar System to Mercury with BepiColombo and closing in on the asteroid system Dimorphos with Hera.” [Check against delivery].

The speech will also highlight the growing cooperation between ESA and Japan, exemplified by new plans for Europe’s Ramses and Japan’s Destiny+ planetary defence missions to launch together.

Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General said: “Our relationship with Japan is built on decades of trust and scientific excellence. The establishment of an ESA presence in Japan signals our clear intention to elevate our cooperation with Japan across all domains of space – from Earth observation and planetary defence to science, human and robotic exploration and commercialisation. This will allow us to foster closer ties not only with JAXA but also with Japan’s dynamic and innovative space industry.”

Hiroshi Yamakawa, JAXA President said: “JAXA warmly welcomes the establishment of ESA’s presence in Japan. Over the years, ESA and JAXA have built a strong partnership through collaborations across a wide range of space activities. In November 2024, we signed a joint statement on Next Big Cooperations. We are confident that ESA’s presence in Japan will enable closer communication, deepen the relationship between our two agencies, and contribute to addressing global challenges and advancing space science and technology.”

The decision to establish a permanent ESA presence in Japan follows the successful ESA delegation visit to Tokyo during Nihonbashi Space Week in November 2024, led by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher. That visit culminated in the signing of the Joint Statement on Next Big Cooperations between ESA and JAXA, setting the course for an ambitious new chapter in European-Japanese space collaboration.

The Joint Statement on Next Big Cooperations outlines ambitious areas for future joint missions, including planetary defence, Earth observation, low Earth orbit and exploration, and space science. ESA’s representation in Japan will be based in an office situated at the X-Nihonbashi Tower, operated jointly by Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. and Cross U, key players in Japan’s open innovation landscape. The facility has become a nexus for the growing space business community in Japan, bringing together start-ups, academia, government agencies – and now ESA – to catalyse new ventures and collaborative opportunities.

By establishing a presence in Japan, ESA will be able to support joint programmatic initiatives on-site from Tokyo, facilitate inter-agency coordination, and act as a bridge between European and Japanese stakeholders in the governmental and commercial space sectors. The new ESA office in Tokyo builds on the model of ESA’s Washington Office, serving as a strategic outpost for deepening bilateral engagement.

Japan’s space sector continues to show global leadership and innovation, making it a natural and valued partner for ESA. With common interests and shared challenges – including sustainable use of space, climate monitoring, and fostering a competitive space economy – the ESA-Japan relationship stands as a cornerstone of global space cooperation.

Source: ESA Media Relations