For the first time in history, Japan will transfer reconnaissance satellite information to a foreign country. Japan has agreed to provide Ukraine with satellite geospatial data, including high-precision radar imagery obtained from orbital devices operating using SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) technology.
This was reported by the DeepState portal, citing Intelligence Online.
The negotiations took place in early February, and the relevant agreement was signed last week. The signed agreement with Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate also involves integrating the iQPS institute’s systems into Ukrainian intelligence platforms. Both parties agreed that it would take two to three months to set up the programming tools and image reception systems.
Currently, five iQPS satellites are operational in orbit, with new satellites scheduled for launch by the end of 2026. Japan has become the fourth country to provide Ukraine with SAR imagery.
Ukraine already has access to SAR images from:
-
Finland — Iceye
-
Germany — SAR-Lupe, SARah
-
Italy — Cosmo-SkyMed 1 and 2
-
Japan (iQPS)
