Japan to build a prototype lunar settlement that will become home to thousands of people.

Japan plans to commission a prototype living complex for lunar exploration with artificial gravity by the 2030s. This has been made possible through a joint research effort between a Japanese university and a construction company. The main goal of the project is to create a lunar environment in which humans can live under conditions similar to those on Earth. This was reported by Kyodo agency.

'This project requires a significant technological leap, but we are committed to achieving it and paving the way for space colonies,' said Professor Yosuke Yamashiki from Kyoto University.

The project will involve the construction corporation Kaima and a private university in Kyoto. The prototype parabolic structure, The Lunar Glass, will be 400 meters tall and 200 meters in diameter. It is expected to accommodate up to 10,000 people.

Construction of the complex will start this year, with computer developments and model manufacturing beginning. A preliminary scale model of the complex at a ratio of 1:2000 has already been created by the employees of Kaima and Kyoto University.

'This technology will help avoid the negative impact of microgravity on human health, particularly on bones and muscles,' Kyodo writes.

Many companies in Japan are actively developing projects related to lunar colonization. For example, Toyota Motor is working on versatile vehicles for movement on the lunar surface. NASA is also planning to build stations on the Moon and Mars using fungi and soil cultivated on them.