TOKYO—In early September, the island nation of Japan was doing Japan things. One day, Typhoon Jebi roared ashore near Osaka and Kobe, breaking historical wind records. Early the next morning in Tokyo, as thick clouds from Jebi’s outer bands raced overhead, an offshore earthquake rattled softly but perceptibly through the city.

The capital city’s skies remained a bleak gray a few hours later as we entered the headquarters of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the city’s bustling Shinagawa area. Men in suits gestured us forward, bowing as we passed, down a corridor to an elevator. After riding up 27 floors to the top of the building, more men in suits ushered our group into a long, formal meeting room. Along one wall, a bank of windows looked to the southwest. From here, on a clear day, the iconic Mount Fuji dominates the distant horizon. But not this day.

A handful of reporters had been invited here to meet with MHI's chief executive, Shunichi Miyanaga, or Miyanaga-san as he is known throughout this building and beyond. The firm had paid our not-inconsiderable travel expenses so that we might learn more about the industrial conglomerate’s various businesses and its long-range plans to remain globally competitive.

I had come specifically to better understand Japan’s future in rocketry and how this nation and its aerospace enterprise seeks to remain relevant in a rapidly changing environment that no longer defers to established, respected firms. To understand this, one must know MHI, because for the better part of three decades, the company has served as Japan’s chief rocket builder.

A unique history

Quietly, Japan has established itself as a power in the aerospace industry, with a long history and considerable ambition. Only three countries reached orbit before Japan did nearly half a century ago. Today, with questions about the reliability of relations with the United States (which some here view as a fading force) and worries about North Korea, the country is taking steps to bolster its presence in space with key military assets. Within a few years, Japan intends to have its own GPS system and a network of military satellites.

Seated around a wooden, oval-shaped table, we awaited the man responsible for getting those Japanese assets safely into space. Miyanaga-san lacks the star power of Elon Musk, fortune of Jeff Bezos, or public bluster of Russia’s Dmitry Rogozin. He gives few keynotes at major aerospace conferences. Instead, he is largely an unknown in the space community. But his rockets are no less reliable than any other nation. In fact, they are highly capable, with an admirable record for launching on time.

MHI is totally different from almost every other rocket company in the world. Aerospace is a small part of MHI, representing only about 1 percent of its business. The heavy industries unit is but one of several core companies in the giant Mitsubishi conglomerate that makes everything from televisions to cars to Kirin beer.

Even so, Japan has set significant goals for MHI’s aerospace business. The country wants Japan to go from launching about four rockets a year, most of which presently fly government payloads, to about eight. This will require MHI to sell its rockets abroad to commercial interests. That initiative comes at a time when SpaceX and other emerging rocket companies are offering low-cost, reusable rockets for satellite launches. Japan’s dependable rocket industry must innovate if it is to have any chance.

When Miyanaga-san ultimately entered the extended conference room, he wore a fitted charcoal suit that complemented his dark, finely combed hair that betrayed only a few flecks of gray. The room was silent and respectful as he began to speak. In broken but passable English, Miyanaga-san worked his way through a series of complicated and at-times confusing charts about the large company he leads. Finally, when he paused for questions after 30 minutes, I touched the red button beside my microphone.

He had talked about his long-range vision in aerospace, I noted. He had said the company’s cost-competitive H3 rocket, under development, was critical to Japan's success. But would that be enough? SpaceX, Blue Origin, and others are investing in reusable rockets to bring the cost of spaceflight down. Looking ahead over the next decade, would an expendable rocket like the H3 be enough?

Initially he seemed to dodge the question. Miyanaga-san said Mitsubishi has broad interests in the aerospace sector, from commercial jets to satellite components to technology for mitigating orbital debris. Eventually, however, he did acknowledge that, “SpaceX is, of course, the competition. We are very much confident to compete against them.”

Was the H3 enough for such a competition? “No,” he replied. “The H3 and the successor. H3 has already reached some maturity.”

Whether such a successor really exists was not immediately clear in that boardroom. And after taking a few more questions, Miyanaga-san departed for points unknown. Details about Japan’s plans to compete with SpaceX and its future aspirations in space would have to be found elsewhere in the Land of the Rising Sun.