Having previously collaborated on the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) instrument for JAXA’s Hinode (Solar B) mission, and with the UK having provided disaster monitoring imaging via the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) system after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, Japan and the United Kingdom have announced that they are going to collaborate further on space research.
During April, the UK Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts signed an agreement with the Japanese Economy Minister Motohisa Furukawa for greater collaboration on space research and technology, This is likely to include working on on earth observation technology, such as the NovaSAR space radar programme or the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) run by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited