A private space exploration company based in Japan, ispace, wants to see people living on the moon by 2040. They have plans to eventually build a city on the lunar surface that would house a thousand people and welcome thousands more for tourist visits.

A private lunar lander from Japan is closing in on the moon, aiming for a touchdown in the unexplored far north

The government has been keen to promote Japan's roles in the Artemis program, signing an agreement with NASA last year to include two Japanese astronauts and a Toyota-built rover