Space

With the success of US ventures like SpaceX and the hype generated by contests such as the LunarX Prize, the number of startups has been increasing all over the world to utilize and explore the resources of outer space. Even in Japan, with the enactment of the Space Activities Act, it has become possible for Japanese private companies to apply for licenses to launch their own rockets and payloads. To accomplish these goals, Japanese startup ventures have been raising initial financing rounds of an amount that has not been seen before. Regardless of these advances, international and Japanese law still cannot cover all of the different creative business models that startups have been proposing. During this historic time, ZeLo is proud to be investing its time and resources to increase the competitiveness of the Japanese space industry by assisting both Japanese companies as well as the entry of foreign companies into Japan. ZeLo also is involved with crafting space policy both at the international level and the domestic (Japanese) level.

Services

Legal review of new space business models
Legal advice relating to international space law, US space law, Japanese space law, satellite and telecommunications law, aviation law and other related laws and regulations
Providing legal research by assisting or representing Japanese, US and/or international organizations on issues related to space law and policy

Accomplishments

Participated in the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in April 2019
Provided legal research to the Cabinet Office’s Office of National Space Policy regarding a comparison of suborbital regulations around the world
Assisted numerous newspace startups from around the world (Europe, US, Singapore, Indonesia) in legal strategy for entering the Japanese market
Asissted a US publicly traded company to present in front of a Plenary Meeting of Japanese Diet Members regarding the issue of foreign companies launching from Japan
Member of the Law and Policy Group of the Space Generation Advisory Council