This article details the significance of Japanese advances in space, while emphasizing the need for protecting these technologies against espionage and theft. Summary Recent civil space missions have highlighted the significant advances Japan has accomplished in this high technology field.  While deserving recognition and celebration, in an increasingly competitive space domain, urgent attention is also needed in safeguarding the intellectual property and technical information around these missions.  Japanese advances in space are widely admired around the world, but likely also prime targets of industrial espionage and theft by malign actors.  In a world of dual-use technologies, moreover, there is an [...]