Japan is attempting to be the first to achieve super high speed access to the Internet with its launch of
a satellite that would accelerate this technology. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) headed the
satellite launch on Saturday.
The Japanese developed H-2A rocket carrying the satellite, "Kizuna," was launched Saturday evening from the southern island of
Tanegashima, according to a live Internet broadcast by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, known as JAXA.
JAXA’s satellite-fired fast Internet project is a joint venture with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; and it
plans to provide the service to businesses and homes at a low cost across Japan and in 19 different places in
Southeast Asia through Kizuna much faster than current interconnections through cable
and DSL services at a new speed of 1.2 gigabytes per second.
The JAXA also stated that the new technology "will make possible great advances in telemedicine, which will bring high-quality medical treatment to remote areas, and in distance education, connecting students and teachers separated by great distances."