The Islands and the Stars: A History of Japan’s Space Programs
Title: The Islands and the Stars: A History of Japan’s Space Programs
Author: Subodhana Wijeyerante
Publisher: Standford University Press
Publication Date: January 2026
About the Book: This is a historical study of Japan’s space program and its place in the broader story of science, technology, and modern Japanese society. Drawing on extensive archival research, the book traces the development of Japan’s space efforts from early rocket experiments in the 1920s through the country’s postwar technological rise and the creation of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2003.
About the Author: Subodhana (Subo) Wijeyeratne is a historian of technology with a focus on East Asia in general, and Japan in particular and is an assistant professor in history. His primary historical interests are in the history of science and technology, in particular the interaction between humans and large-scale scientific endeavours such as space programs and deep-sea exploration. His PhD explored the development of the Japanese space program within the context of that nation's particular political, social, and geographic conditions in the 20th century. His past articles have featured in venues such as the Asia Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, Historia Scientiarum, Roadsides, and Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly.