Can Japan lead push to halt space militarisation as nuclear rivalry heats up?

Following the collapse of UN talks on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Japan is increasingly concerned that outer space may become a new theater for nuclear and military competition. This concern is heightened by accusations of Russia developing nuclear anti-satellite capabilities, China and Russia advancing satellite-disabling weapons, and the US pursuing space-based missile defense systems. Some in Tokyo believe Japan should spearhead efforts to establish new regulations for the peaceful use of space. While analysts acknowledge the difficulty of achieving a binding agreement due to global power polarization and geopolitical rivalries, Japan possesses unique credibility as a space-faring nation, a proponent of nuclear non-proliferation, and the sole nation to have experienced a nuclear attack.