The Subaru Telescope has an exceptional wide-field, high-resolution view of deep space, which has led to major discoveries in galaxy formation, dark matter, dark energy, and exoplanets.
Japan’s Hayabusa was the first mission to return asteroid samples to Earth. Launched in 2003, it arrived at Itokawa in 2005, collected tiny grains (less than 1 milligram) using a projectile impact method, and returned them in 2010 despite technical challenges like a failed rover and navigation issues. This confirmed Itokawa’s composition as an S-type asteroid rich in silicates and provided insights into asteroid surface processes.
A group of Radio Telescopes in Japan has, among other achievements, contributed to creating a three-dimensional map of the Milky Way Galaxy.