The Japanese Science and Technology Agency plans to spend roughly $457.6 million beginning with the Japanese government’s next fiscal year to develop advanced communications satellites designed for high-speed Internet service, according to the Asia Pulse Ltd. news service.

The satellites would be capable of supplying access to the Internet at speeds 20,000 times faster than is available on conventional telephone lines. The first of the satellites would be launched within five months, the news services said.

The Science and Technology Agency hopes to develop the satellites for service to the Asia Pacific Region, as well as for the Japanese islands, according to Asia Pulse.