Japan to share satellite intelligence with Ukraine’s military for first time

For the first time in history, Japan will provide Ukraine’s military intelligence agency with satellite geospatial data, including radar imagery captured via Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, in what marks a significant deepening of Tokyo’s cooperation with Kyiv.

The development was announced by the Ukrainian open-source intelligence (OSINT) project DeepState, which monitors the battlefield in real time and publishes interactive maps based on verified public information, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

“Japan has agreed to provide Ukraine’s military intelligence with satellite geospatial data, including radar imagery from SAR satellites,” DeepState reported on its Telegram channel. “This is the first time in history that Japan has engaged in this level of cooperation.”

The geospatial intelligence will be supplied by the Japanese institute iQPS (Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space), affiliated with Kyushu University. A formal agreement has already been signed between iQPS and the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence. The deal will integrate the Japanese institute’s systems with Ukrainian intelligence platforms, allowing GUR to access SAR data, high-resolution satellite imagery obtained via synthetic aperture radar technology that can penetrate clouds and darkness.

Ukraine already uses SAR satellite data provided by several international partners. Finland contributes through its Iceye system, Germany shares imagery via its SAR-Lupe and SARah satellite constellations, and Italy provides data using its Cosmo-SkyMed satellites. With Japan now joining this circle, Ukraine gains access to imagery from the iQPS satellite network, which currently consists of five orbiting satellites. The institute plans to expand the constellation with additional launches through the end of 2026.

Despite this growing network, DeepState noted that Ukraine is still experiencing a shortfall in satellite imagery previously available from the United States, either directly or through commercial contracts with firms like Maxar and BlackSky, mediated by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).

By Tamilla Hasanova