Which one of the following countries has its own Satellite Navigation System?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) Japan
Japan has its own satellite navigation system, the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS, also called Michibiki). It is a regional system that works alongside GPS; the other three countries operate no navigation constellation of their own.
- ✓ (d) QZSS is Japan's own satellite positioning system, run by the Cabinet Office. The UN's navigation committee (ICG) lists Japan as a provider of a regional system, as it lists India for NavIC.
- ✗ (a) Australia takes part in the ICG only as a country with an active navigation-applications programme. It does not run a navigation constellation of its own.
- ✗ (b) Canada does not run its own navigation satellite system, and it is not listed among the ICG's system providers.
- ✗ (c) Israel does not run its own navigation satellite system, and it is not listed among the ICG's system providers.
Remember · Own navigation systems: USA (GPS), Russia (GLONASS), EU (Galileo), China (BeiDou), India (NavIC), Japan (QZSS). Australia, Canada and Israel have none.
Sources
- Overview of the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), Cabinet Office, Government of Japan ↗ · reference work “QZSS is a Japanese satellite positioning system composed mainly of satellites in quasi-zenith orbits (QZO).”
- ICG: Members (UN Office for Outer Space Affairs) ↗ · reference work “Japan (Michibiki Satellite-based Augmentation System (MSAS) and Quasi-Zenith Satellite Space Based Augmentation System (QZSS))”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2023, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·