Taiwanese public broadcaster PTS and Japan’s NHK Obihiro Station have announced a collaborative effort to produce a documentary capturing Taiwan’s first-ever rocket launch, set to take place in spring 2025. The event will mark a milestone as the first Taiwanese rocket, developed by Taiwan Innovative Space (TiSpace), is launched from Japan’s Hokkaido Space Port.
The coproduction agreement was formalized during a signing ceremony in Taipei, attended by Junji Matsuoka, Director-General of NHK Obihiro Station, and Cindy Shyu, President of PTS. The documentary will explore various dimensions of the event, including Taiwan’s space research and education, the younger generation’s interest in space exploration, and Hokkaido’s regional revitalization efforts, which integrate agricultural initiatives with spaceport development.
The collaboration will also highlight Taiwan’s growing space industry and the unique contributions of the Hokkaido Space Port, located near the city of Obihiro. The project represents a first for NHK Obihiro Station, which will play a central role in the research and filming process alongside PTS.
Junji Matsuoka expressed the significance of this partnership, noting that while NHK and PTS have collaborated before, this marks the first time a regional NHK station will be primarily involved. “We are excited to work with PTS on such an impactful topic—space. This partnership promises to deliver an insightful project,” he stated.
Cindy Shyu highlighted the rarity of such a filming opportunity for Taiwan, emphasizing the collaboration’s potential to enrich PTS’s expertise in documenting space-related content. She also expressed optimism that the documentary would offer Taiwanese audiences a new perspective on Hokkaido and foster a deeper connection between the two regions.
This documentary aims to shed light on the intersection of space exploration and local community development, providing a comprehensive view of the pioneering efforts in Taiwan’s aerospace journey and Hokkaido’s innovation as a spaceport.
