Rakuten satellite project to receive up to $912 mln in Japan govt grant

Rakuten’s satellite communications project is set to receive up to 148 billion yen (about $912 million) from the Japanese government to build a low-orbit network, the Communications and Information Network Association of Japan said on Tuesday. Rakuten Group, which operates in e-commerce, financial services and telecommunications, is pursuing the program with a planned joint venture, according to a Rakuten spokesperson. The company said it is in talks with U.S. firm AST SpaceMobile to partner on the initiative. The funding underscores Japan’s effort to reduce reliance on foreign providers such as SpaceX’s Starlink, which currently supply low-orbit satellite connectivity. The report notes low-orbit service can keep smartphones and other devices connected outside cellular coverage or when disasters disrupt base stations, supporting broader economic security aims.