Japan's current moon mission is called the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM). It was launched on September 22, 2023, and is expected to reach the moon in February 2024. The main objective of the SLIM mission is to demonstrate precision landing, within 100 meters of the chosen site. This would make Japan the fifth country in the world to achieve a soft landing on the moon.

Japan's current moon mission is called the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM). It was launched on September 22, 2023, and is expected to reach the moon in February 2024. The main objective of the SLIM mission is to demonstrate precision landing, within 100 meters of the chosen site. This would make Japan the fifth country in the world to achieve a soft landing on the moon.

The SLIM spacecraft is a small, lightweight lander weighing just 200 kilograms. It is equipped with a variety of sensors and instruments to study the lunar surface, including a camera, a laser altimeter, and a mass spectrometer. The lander will also carry a small rover to explore the surrounding area.

If the SLIM mission is successful, it will pave the way for more ambitious Japanese lunar missions in the future. Japan is also a member of the NASA-led Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon by the end of the decade. Japan plans to contribute to the Artemis program by providing spacecraft and other hardware.

In addition to the SLIM mission, Japan is also working on a joint lunar mission with India, called the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX). This mission is planned to launch in 2026 and will send a lander and rover to explore the south pole region of the moon.

Japan's lunar exploration program is ambitious and has the potential to make significant contributions to our understanding of the moon.