Joint Statement of the
31st Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Meeting

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The 31st Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Conference (APRSAF-31) was held in Cebu, Philippines.

The theme of this meeting was "Empowering the region through the utilization of the space ecosystem" with the aim of continuously developing space capabilities and promoting economic growth through space R&D and innovation to respond to disasters and climate change, which are common issues for countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

In response to this theme, participants of the APRSAF-31 held technical subcommittee activities, workshops, and plenary meetings with the aim of building regional partnerships, developing ecosystems, and providing a platform for considering joint space activities that will benefit the region by contributing to solving problems and achieving sustainable social and economic development.

Representatives of the government, the space industry, and students gathered based on the "Nagoya Vision," which emphasizes the importance of "sustainable use of space," "application of space technology to solve urgent social issues," and "regional cooperation to promote economic development in the Asia-Pacific region." The APRSAF will continue to provide an open environment where participants can actively exchange opinions on issues that need to be addressed in the space field and how to deal with them.

Solving Social Issues and Sustainable Development Through Space Technology

APRSAF reaffirms the importance of strengthening cooperation to contribute to solving social challenges and achieving sustainable regional development using space technology.

At this meeting, the results of Sentinel Asia Step 3 were reported, and it was confirmed that the use of satellite data in disaster response contributes to improving the disaster risk reduction capacity of the region. As of May 16, 2025, the number of participating organizations in Sentinel Asia has reached 127, and rapid information sharing has been achieved through its extensive networks, especially amongst disaster risk reduction agencies and international organizations in the Pacific Islands.

In addition, the SAFE (Space Applications For Environment) initiative introduced the results of rice cultivation monitoring and the CH4Rice project (Assessment of methane emission from rice paddies and water management). Discussions were held amongst representatives from industry, government, and academia on strengthening food security in the ASEAN region, utilizing the results of the SAFE project for MRVs (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification) related to methane emissions from paddy fields, and integrating the use of Earth observation satellite data and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), particularly GNSS reflectometry, for monitoring water management in agriculture. Also, APRSAF has recognized SAWG as a valuable platform for capacity building among early-career engineers and scientists in the utilization of space technology, through events such as the ALOS-2 Ideathon and a side event, “GNSS Seminar and Workshop in the Philippines.”

In the future, it is expected that the project results will be put into practical use through discussions such as creating special issues of academic journals for sharing results and lobbying carbon credit certification bodies.

In addition, in the field of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), the current status and activities of QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System) and MGA (Multi-GNSS Asia) were shared, and efforts to improve the regional utilization and accuracy of positioning technology were introduced. PhilSA (Philippine Space Agency) reported on the results of space use in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region, and shared examples of space technology applications to solve regional issues. APRSAF hereby declare that we will continue to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, strengthening disaster resilience, and mitigation and adaptation to climate change through the practice and cooperation of space applications in the Asia-Pacific region.

Expansion of Space Frontiers and Promotion of Exploration

APRSAF reaffirms the importance of scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and human resource development using the ISS “Kibo” module to support sustainable development and space exploration.

Under the Asian Beneficial Collaboration through “Kibo” Utilization (Kibo-ABC) initiative, regional collaboration has grown via programs like Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Kibo-RPC) and Asian Try Zero-G (ATZG), with participants of 11,059 in Kibo-RPC and 1,176 in ATZG, respectively. Kibo-RPC is a joint collaboration with NASA and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), expanding beyond Asia-Pacific region and reinforcing its global relevance. Results of the previous missions with mouse sample share and the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) were reported, indicating expansion of international and academic engagement.

Reports shared by member organizations and students highlighted not only Kibo-ABC activities but also individual STEM challenges worked well and the necessity of continuous efforts was confirmed. Panel discussions organized by the Philippines explored future human spaceflight challenges, including health, nutrition, and food supply in the post-ISS era. The Kibo-ABC member countries and regions agreed to proceed with consideration of new plant experiments including use of regolith simulant, reflecting growing interest in long-duration missions and needs for continuous R&D for future space exploration.

Expansion of space education and human resource development

APRSAF hereby confirms its commitment to promoting space education and strengthening international cooperation with the aim of developing human resources who can contribute to solving global issues with global perspective. Space education is an important means of developing next generation's creativity and problem-solving skills by providing an integrated opportunity to learn Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). We will understand the current state of STEM education in each country, learn from each other, and expand the field of practical learning through project-based space education.

In this session, presenters from each country reported on the current state of space education through the sessions on "Space Education for All: From Primary Education to Higher Education" and the " Space Education Regional Congress", and exchanged opinions on human resource development, policy dissemination, and future development to promote space education. Respect for diversity and inclusion were shared as important themes.

As a project-based space education, the results of the first APRSAF CanSat Competition held in July 2025, as well as reports on the competitions of each country, and discussions for the next competition were also held. In addition, through the announcement of the results of the APRSAF-31 Poster Contest and the consideration of the next theme, it was confirmed that efforts to expand next generation's interest in space are continuing in many countries. Furthermore, the "Youth-Led Activity Session" provided students with opportunities to give presentations, share information on their space education activities, and encourage students to take further initiatives.

We will continue to strengthen cooperation with space agencies, educational institutions, international organizations, etc., and continue to cooperate to nurture the next generation, with the aim of disseminating and developing space education internationally.

International Cooperation for Space Industry, Policy, and Capacity Improvement

APRSAF has provided an opportunity to exchange information to solve social issues, sustainable space use, and improve space technology capabilities. The two sessions, the "International Intellectual Circulation Program for Space Development" and "Responsibilities in Space Sustainability", welcomed diverse participation and collaboration, such as promoting the participation of space agencies and universities from all over the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the participation of new players in industry, and exchanged opinions and shared experiences on best practices.

As space activities become more active, it was recognized that industry-academia-government collaboration is the key to realizing a sustainable regional space sector that contributes to society. In the session of the "International Intellectual Circulation Program for Space Development", we launched a session in conjunction with JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency).

In addition to graduates of the "International Intellectual Circulation Program for Space Development", with the participation of industry, government, and academia, issues such as the development of core space human resources in the region and practical examples including the introduction of JICA's event at TICAD 9 (The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development) in Yokohama this August, were shared, and contributions to economic development through solving societal issues were discussed. It was confirmed that the collaboration session with JICA's "International Intellectual Circulation Program for Space Development" is effective in human resource development and capacity improvement in the region.

In the session on "Responsibilities in Space Sustainability," the Enhancement of Space Capability Working Group (SCWG) and the Space Law and Policy Working Group (SPLWG) jointly discussed the overall theme of international harmonization such as regulations and technical standards necessary to support space activities, in anticipation of increasing international corporate activities and the expansion of space activities beyond national borders, including suborbital flights. In particular, there was a high level of interest in spaceports as access hubs to space, and it was recognized that it is important to improve the sustainability of space activities by promoting the development of an environment in which companies from any countries can seamlessly use spaceports around the world.

At the session, we welcomed the fact that mutual understanding was promoted by reports and sharing of knowledge from countries that have already established spaceports and those planning to do so, and by interactive dialogue about spaceport conducted at WGs as well as discussions to solve problems, on harmonization of laws and technical standards that vary from country to country, which is also an issue in promoting such an environment. Recognizing the importance of such collaborations to sustainably improve the capacity of the region, APRSAF declares that it will reorganize the SCWG and launch the Space Sustainability Working Group (SSWG) from the next APRSAF annual meeting. It is hoped that the new SSWG will promote discussions and activities that contribute to the linkage and community building regarding space technology law and policy in the region to address the global challenge of sustainable space use.

APRSAF reaffirmed the need for space policy and laws, and witnessed the status of institutional development in each country or region. APRSAF welcomes that as part of the activities of the third phase of the National Space Legislation Initiative (NSLI), its member states had jointly submitted their reports to the 68th session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). APRSAF also noted with satisfaction that the NSLI also contributed to further improving their capacity to formulate and implement national space laws and policies in accordance with international norms through information sharing and mutual learning. Based on these achievements, APRSAF welcomes the launch of Phase 4 of the NSLI.

APRSAF welcomes that “the Inter-Regional Space Policy Dialogue between Asia-Pacific and European countries” was held for the first time during the APRSAF and expects continued endeavors of this kind by levering the opportunity of APRSAF.

APRSAF was informed of the need to address, through collaboration among all stakeholders, issues related to space debris mitigation and disposal management in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface and to establish recommended guidelines for such issues.

As the space industry is growing rapidly internationally, APRSAF discussed the current state of the space industry, its challenges, what kind of human resources are needed for the future development of the regional space economy, and how to cultivate such human resources. APRSAF also aims to contribute to the development of the Asia-Pacific region by providing a place for public-private sector collaboration and the revitalization of private-sector-led international space economic activities.

The 32nd Annual Meeting (APRSAF-32) is scheduled to be held in Thailand from 27 to 30 October,2026. The 33rd Annual Meeting (APRSAF-33) is scheduled to be held in Fukuoka, Japan in 2027.