DATE2025.05.13 #News

Japan–Chile Summit Discusses Cooperation in Space and Astronomy

On May 11, 2025, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held a summit meeting lasting approximately 70 minutes with President Gabriel Boric Font of the Republic of Chile, who was visiting Japan as a guest for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. The two leaders shared a sense of cultural closeness, particularly through their mutual interest in Japanese literature.

Notably, they expressed hopes for further collaboration in the fields of space and astronomy, citing the commemorative ceremony marking the completion of the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) telescope site.

In April 2024, the University of Tokyo held a ceremony in Santiago, the capital of Chile, to commemorate the completion of the TAO telescope site. The TAO telescope, located at the world’s highest-altitude observatory (5,640 meters), aims to provide more opportunities for young astronomers to conduct observations and research, empowering them to bring their ideas to life in ways that were not possible with previous telescopes. Preparations and improvements will continue to ensure this goal is realized.