Japan’s Ministry of Defense holds a gathering in a Japan Air Self-Defense Force hangar at Misawa Air Base. (US Air Force photo)
MELBOURNE — Japan’s government has confirmed it will rename its air force to reflect a broadened mission set to include outer space.
The upper house of Japan’s parliament approved a bill today to rename the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to the Japan Aerospace Self-Defense Force.
The name change will come into effect at the beginning of the next Japanese fiscal year, which starts on April 1, 2027, according to the JASDF.
The change in name reflects an increasing focus by the JASDF on the space domain in recent years, with its Space Operations Group being reorganized into the Space Operations Wing in March following an increase in its personnel strength to 670 — up from 310 the year before.
