Mitsubishi Research Institute Selected for JAXA Space Strategy Fund Project to Accelerate Satellite Data Implementation

Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI; President & CEO: Kenji Yabuta) has been selected for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Space Strategy Fund project: "Acceleration of Satellite Data Utilization System Implementation (B) Development, Demonstration, and Social Implementation Infrastructure Development for Satellite Data Utilization Systems Overseas (Commissioned)." The project, titled "Infrastructure Building Project for Policy and Business Collaboration in the Middle East (UAE, etc.) Centered on Space and Satellites," aims to build a hub for industry-academia-government collaboration between Japan and the Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc.). It seeks to accelerate the social implementation and commercialization of satellite data utilization while establishing a sustainable cooperation framework connecting policy and business.

## 1. Background
In recent years, the Middle East, led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, has seen rapid progress in space sector investment and development, with satellite development becoming more sophisticated. However, while demand for satellite data utilization to address social challenges—such as disaster prevention, climate change response, infrastructure monitoring, and maritime security—is rising, commercialization remains in the developing stage. Although Japan possesses high technical capabilities in satellite technology and data utilization and has built government-level cooperative relationships in the space sector in the Middle East, commercialization has been limited, with insufficient ongoing local support systems or public-private partnership frameworks.
MRI, as a comprehensive think tank, has consistently promoted initiatives from policy and project research in the space/satellite sector to support for social implementation. MRI's Middle East network, centered on its Dubai office, and its ability to execute by connecting policy with business, were evaluated, leading to this commission.

## 2. Project Overview and Features
The project is a 5-year plan intended to support the development of space/satellite data business in the Middle East, policy design, and international collaboration with other countries including Japan through the following components:

- Function A: Data/Information Infrastructure (Building an information base to collect/disseminate trends in policy, regulation, and markets, and local needs to support decision-making)
- Function B: Talent Infrastructure (Building talent networks through training programs, exchanges, joint research, and matching)
- Function C: Business Matching Support Infrastructure (Supporting business creation between Japan and the Middle East through exhibitions and satellite data platforms)
- Function D: Local Commercialization Support (Promoting Japanese companies' business expansion in the Middle East through end-to-end support from Proof of Concept (PoC) to commercialization)
- Function X: Policy Formation/Execution Support (Think Tank Function) (Supporting policy formation and promoting inter-state collaboration through public-private dialogue (Track 1.5))

By providing these functions in an integrated manner, MRI will realize a strategic development of "Policy x Business" that goes beyond one-off demonstrations.

## 3. Future Schedule
In this project, the initial phase will focus on investigating and designing local needs and institutional environments. Following this, the project will proceed in stages to talent exchanges, business matching, data platform construction, and the creation/commercialization support of PoC projects. Ultimately, the goal is to form a cooperative hub where Japanese and Middle Eastern companies and institutions can participate continuously.

Through this project, MRI will promote the social implementation of satellite data utilization in the Middle East, support Japanese companies' overseas expansion, and realize international collaboration that links policy and business.