Former Cabinet Office Space Policy Chief Yoshinori Komiya Appointed Executive Advisor for Government Affairs at AstroX
AstroX, a company developing Rockoon-style satellite launch rockets, appointed former Cabinet Office space policy head Yoshinori Komiya as Executive Advisor for Government Affairs to accelerate public-private partnerships.
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- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 10:15
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AstroX Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture; Representative Director and CEO: Shobu Oda; hereinafter 'AstroX'), which is advancing the development of satellite launch rockets using the Rockoon method (aerial launch using balloons), is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Yoshinori Komiya, former Secretary General of the Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy of the Cabinet Office, as Executive Advisor for Government Affairs, aimed at strengthening its government collaboration structure.
With this appointment, AstroX will strengthen its connection with space policy, national security, and industrial policy, and accelerate efforts toward the social implementation of Japan-originated space transportation infrastructure.
## Background of the Appointment
Under the vision of 'Regaining Japan as No. 1 in space development,' AstroX is developing satellite launch rockets utilizing the Rockoon method, where rockets are transported to the stratosphere via balloons and launched from there. Space transportation is a social infrastructure spanning multiple policy areas, including national security, industrial competitiveness, regional revitalization, and disaster response. Thus, collaboration with public policy has become extremely important even for private space companies.
Since joining the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (currently the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), Mr. Komiya has been involved in the planning of industrial policy, intellectual property policy, IT strategy, and space policy at the core of the government for over 33 years. Notably, as the Secretary General of the Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy of the Cabinet Office, he spearheaded turning points in Japan's space policy, including the revision of the Basic Plan on Space Policy and the formulation of the Space Activities Act and the Satellite Remote Sensing Act.
Through this appointment, AstroX will further promote:
- Strengthening alignment with space policy
- Promoting public-private partnerships
- Connecting regional revitalization with space transportation
- Strengthening the positioning of space transportation as a national security and industrial foundation
## Profile of Mr. Yoshinori Komiya
After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tokyo in 1984, he joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now METI). For over 33 years, he was engaged in the government's industrial policy, intellectual property policy, IT strategy, and space policy.
As Director of the Intellectual Property Policy Office, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau, he promoted the formulation of the national intellectual property strategy and the criminalization of trade secret infringement. He served in roles including Director of the Industrial Machinery Division of the Manufacturing Industries Bureau (concurrently Director of the Robot Industry Office), Secretary to the Minister, and Cabinet Councilor (Counselor's Office) at the Cabinet Secretariat, where he was in charge of revising the national IT strategy based on the IT Basic Act.
From 2014, as Deputy Director-General for Space Policy at the Cabinet Office (later Secretary General of the Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy), he promoted the revision of the Basic Plan on Space Policy and the institutionalization of the Space Activities Act and Satellite Remote Sensing Act. In 2016, he became the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office. After retiring from public service in 2017, he joined IHI Corporation. After serving as Deputy General Manager of the Resources, Energy & Environment Business Area, he worked as Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of the Advanced Information Management Headquarters, and since April 2024 as an Executive Fellow, and will serve as an Advisor from April 2025.
In addition, he serves as an advisor to Carlyle Japan LLC, Groving Inc., and several space startups, and is a board member of the Japan Space Passenger Transport Promotion Council.
## Comment from Mr. Yoshinori Komiya
(*Note: The provided text cuts off here.)
With this appointment, AstroX will strengthen its connection with space policy, national security, and industrial policy, and accelerate efforts toward the social implementation of Japan-originated space transportation infrastructure.
## Background of the Appointment
Under the vision of 'Regaining Japan as No. 1 in space development,' AstroX is developing satellite launch rockets utilizing the Rockoon method, where rockets are transported to the stratosphere via balloons and launched from there. Space transportation is a social infrastructure spanning multiple policy areas, including national security, industrial competitiveness, regional revitalization, and disaster response. Thus, collaboration with public policy has become extremely important even for private space companies.
Since joining the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (currently the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), Mr. Komiya has been involved in the planning of industrial policy, intellectual property policy, IT strategy, and space policy at the core of the government for over 33 years. Notably, as the Secretary General of the Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy of the Cabinet Office, he spearheaded turning points in Japan's space policy, including the revision of the Basic Plan on Space Policy and the formulation of the Space Activities Act and the Satellite Remote Sensing Act.
Through this appointment, AstroX will further promote:
- Strengthening alignment with space policy
- Promoting public-private partnerships
- Connecting regional revitalization with space transportation
- Strengthening the positioning of space transportation as a national security and industrial foundation
## Profile of Mr. Yoshinori Komiya
After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tokyo in 1984, he joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now METI). For over 33 years, he was engaged in the government's industrial policy, intellectual property policy, IT strategy, and space policy.
As Director of the Intellectual Property Policy Office, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau, he promoted the formulation of the national intellectual property strategy and the criminalization of trade secret infringement. He served in roles including Director of the Industrial Machinery Division of the Manufacturing Industries Bureau (concurrently Director of the Robot Industry Office), Secretary to the Minister, and Cabinet Councilor (Counselor's Office) at the Cabinet Secretariat, where he was in charge of revising the national IT strategy based on the IT Basic Act.
From 2014, as Deputy Director-General for Space Policy at the Cabinet Office (later Secretary General of the Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy), he promoted the revision of the Basic Plan on Space Policy and the institutionalization of the Space Activities Act and Satellite Remote Sensing Act. In 2016, he became the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office. After retiring from public service in 2017, he joined IHI Corporation. After serving as Deputy General Manager of the Resources, Energy & Environment Business Area, he worked as Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of the Advanced Information Management Headquarters, and since April 2024 as an Executive Fellow, and will serve as an Advisor from April 2025.
In addition, he serves as an advisor to Carlyle Japan LLC, Groving Inc., and several space startups, and is a board member of the Japan Space Passenger Transport Promotion Council.
## Comment from Mr. Yoshinori Komiya
(*Note: The provided text cuts off here.)