The solar observational satellite Hinode captured images of the first total solar eclipse to unfold from coast to coast in the United States in a century on Aug. 21.
Photos of the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle were taken by an X-ray telescope on the Hinode for about 15 minutes while the satellite was passing off the West Coast, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
By Eiji Noyori and Kazuhiko Makita / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff WritersOn July 30, Interstellar Technologies Inc., a start-up company based in Taiki, Hokkaido, conducted its first launch of a small rocket aiming for outer space. The rocket could not reach its target, but Interstellar Technologies expects to overcome that challenge in the next trial or later. There has been vigorous work in Japan's private sector to develop rockets that can reach space, and hopes for commercialization will be put to the test.
The small MOMO rocket, about 10 meters in length, was sent up in the evening from a test launch site in Taiki. However, about a minute into the flight, a malfunction occurred in which the rocket stopped transmitting location data, causing the engine to be shut off. It is estimated to have reached a maximum height of about 20 kilometers, which is far below the goal of outer space, which is 100 kilometers above the Earth.
Japan put a second satellite into orbit Thursday to enhance the precision of its global positioning system used in smartphones and car navigation equipment.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. launched an H-2A rocket carrying the government's quasi-zenith satellite Michibiki No. 2 in the morning from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
Visitors to the FlyStation Japan sports facility experience the thrill of "indoor skydiving" in a wind tunnel in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture. Strong wind blows upward in the tunnel, which is about 20 meters high and 4.5 meters in diameter. Participants can enjoy the sensation of flying through the air by changing their body position.
Japan's government is asking officials of local administrations, major railways, and telecommunications companies to confirm the integrity of their parts of the national emergency alert system.
Long a mystery of lunar science, the presence of oxygen on the surface of the moon has been known to scientists but not its origin.
Japan's space agency says its cargo ship Kounotori 6 has ended its mission after failing to test new technology for removing space debris.
The Japanese Defense Ministry's first communications satellite was successfully placed in orbit late Tuesday afternoon, part of the country's efforts to upgrade the Self-Defense Forces' communications network to better deal with security challenges. 
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced Dec 9, 2016, that it will mount "thin-film triple-junction" solar panels on the "Kounotori No. 6," a fueling plane for space stations.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)'s Epsilon-2 rocket is seen on a launch pad at Uchinoura Space Center in Kimotsuki, Kagoshima Prefecture, on the night of Dec. 14, 2016 during a launch simulation. JAXA's Epsilon-2, which uses a new type of solid fuel, is scheduled to lift off on Dec. 20. 
Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi landed safely back on Earth aboard the Russian space capsule Soyuz after a “fun” and “fulfilling” nearly four-month stint in the International Space Station.
Mitsubishi Electric will exhibit a variety of cutting-edge space systems and on-board equipment at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2016 to be held at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition complex from October 12 to 15. 
Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi has carried out experiments on behalf of students from Asia at the International Space Station.
Even in the vastness of space, useful things come in small packages. These packages take the form of so-called microsatellites, which are significantly cheaper to launch than their full-size counterparts. Japan is hoping to turn the contraptions into a cash cow for its satellite industry, which relies heavily on public-sector orders.