Malaysia, Japan deepen cooperation in space technology development

JAPAN is looking to deepen its cooperation with Malaysia in space technology development, particularly in small satellites and Earth observation.

Japanese ambassador to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata said the area holds unlimited potential for future collaboration between both nations, given Japan’s long history in space technology.

He added that Malaysia possesses strong ambitions, a growing pool of young talent as well as strategic economic and geographical advantages in Southeast Asia.

“By bringing together these strengths, we can create new forms of cooperation that are practical, future-orientated, and beneficial not only to our own two countries, but also to the ASEAN region and beyond,” Shikata said during his keynote speech at the ‘Technomart Malaysia-Japan: SPACETech Collaboration II’ event in Cyberjaya, Selangor today.

The ambassador added that the space industry cannot grow through government efforts alone, but requires collaboration between researchers, companies, policymakers and young talent to drive innovation and commercialisation.

“For countries such as Malaysia with rich biodiversity, strategic maritime areas, and a dynamic economy, the use of satellite data can provide powerful tools for sustainable development.”

Shikata also said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to visit Japan next month.

Meanwhile, Pahang Aerospace City Development Bhd MD and CEO Prof Muhamad Nurazmi Abas said Malaysia currently has about 79 space-related companies, with around 9% involved in upstream activities such as satellite-related manufacturing.

“We hope to build a sovereign satellite within the next quarter this year, whether in the second or third quarter.

“Apart from that, there is also a focus on sovereign satellite communication requirements. We see this satellite as an investment priority over the next few years, as there is a need for sovereign communications,” he said during the ‘Empowering Malaysia’s Startup and Innovation Ecosystem for Space Tech’ panel session.

The event, held at the Might Partnership Hub, aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the space sector by bringing together government agencies, industry players, universities and startups.

The first edition was launched at Osaka Expo 2025 to connect Malaysian and Japanese companies through business matching, technology partnerships and discussions on emerging space trends, while this year’s edition in Cyberjaya focuses on industry-academia collaboration, talent development and joint projects.