Earlier this week (on 17 June 2025), Honda R&D Co Ltd successfully fired up a test rocket and landed it in the Hokkaido prefecture. This marks an important step towards Japan achieving reusable rocketry.
The test rocket may not have been particularly large (measuring 6.3 m in height and 85 cm in diameter). However, the control system and hardware will have applicability to future larger prototypes.
This latest development is a sign of the growing interest from the private sector in South East Asia, hot on the heels of other private Japanese ventures such as ispace, as well as Korean companies such as Hanwha.
Looking closely at the linked video, you can see that on descent, control fins are deployed near the top of the rocket to provide attitude control. There is then the mysterious white smoke after the landing - expelled sideways from the top of the rocket. Clearly this is venting off some of the gases from the rocket, possibly excess water vapor/steam to prevent an uncontrolled release after landing.
With the UK, the EU and the US already seeking to develop or expand launch sites and launch infrastructure and technologies, and the increasing number of reusable launch vessels being developed around the world, it looks like there will be exciting competition from Japan as well. In the future, perhaps the Hokkaido prefecture will create its own reputation as a centre of space excellence, alongside Japan's more southerly launch sites in Tanegashima?
At Marks & Clerk, we have a specialist space tech team to help companies seeking to protect their intellectual property around the world. If you have an invention or a novel design, or new branding that you would like to consider protecting, we look forward to hearing from you!
"We are pleased that Honda has made another step forward in our research on reusable rockets with this successful completion of a launch and landing test. We believe that rocket research is a meaningful endeavor that leverages Honda's technological strengths.
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