Rocketing costs

Japanese government auditors have recommended suspending Japan’s J-1 and M-5
rocket programmes unless costs can be cut. It’s twice as expensive launching
satellites with these rockets than with those used by other countries. The
Management and Coordination Agency also hints that the two rival agencies
operating the rockets, the National Space Development Agency of Japan and the
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, should merge. Its report notes
that no other country has two separate space development agencies.