TOKYO:US entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX announced on Tuesday the launch of its Starlink internet service in Japan, making the country the first in Asia to deploy the satellite-based system.
Starlink will tap into demand from mountainous areas and remote islands suffering from spotty or hard-to-access internet service.
SpaceX made the announcement on its official Twitter page. According to its official website, the monthly service fee is ¥12,300 (US$84) on top of hardware costs of ¥73,000.
Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency internet service using satellite communications. In Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia, Starlink has played a role in securing internet access.
In addition to Europe and the US, Starlink plans to expand the service to Asia and other regions.
In the Philippines, the government is looking to enlist Starlink for its free Wi-Fi programme. SpaceX is working on a commercial launch in the country by December, according to Rebecca Hunter, senior manager for government relations at the company.
Starlink is a division of SpaceX.
