JAXA Wants (but can't attract) More Private Sector Funds

Price too high on space module for hire, Daily Yomiuri
“The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has received few requests from private corporations wanting to lease space in the research module Kibo on the International Space Station, with the high cost thought to be a major reason for the lack of interest. Under a pricing system introduced by JAXA in June last year, corporations can pay 5.5 million yen per hour to have astronauts from Japan, the United States or other nations carry out scientific experiments or other activities in Kibo. JAXA expected to receive commissions for 10 to 30 hours per year, but orders have fallen well short of that, the agency said. Since JAXA began leasing space in Kibo in September 2008, just four commercial operations have been conducted in the module.”
Japan Seeks To Reorient Space Spending, Space News
“The Japanese government wants to promote more private-sector space development by reorienting its spending away from its research focus and toward commercially oriented programs and crafting a new law to permit commercial launch services, Japanese government and industry officials said Sept. 28.”