Rakuten has established a joint venture with US satellite communications company AST SpaceMobile to develop an independent satellite network in Japan. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications will provide approximately 1.5 billion yen in support over three years through the "J-LEO" (Low Earth Orbit Satellite Infrastructure Development) initiative. While major carriers NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, and SoftBank have adopted SpaceX's Starlink, the government is prioritizing autonomous network development for economic security. Rakuten plans to differentiate by offering broadband services enabling voice calls and video streaming by Q4 2026, contrasting with competitors' text-focused initial services.