Japan headed to the Moon in 20 years?



<http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s1339842.htm>

Summary: JAXA says it will have a man-rated rocket (developed from the
H-2A) within 10 years, and will land a man on the Moon within 20 years.

My comments:
OK, I realize that the Japanese space program has always been stronger
on plans than on actions... but with the Chinese now making serious
progress in space, one wonders whether JAXA may now have the political
support it needs to do the same.

Certainly the Japanese have the technical know-how; in fact, considering
their innovation in nearly all other technical fields and their
future-thinking population, their slow progress in space development has
always been a little baffling. I suspect that it's been simply a matter
of not seeing much profit in it. But with space tourism now a reality,
plus the threat of Chinese dominance of space (speaking here from the
Japanese point of view), perhaps things are different.

I have no doubt that, with sufficient political will, the Japanese could
indeed reach these goals easily. But is the will there? Or is this
just another empty plan?

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