Sakura is a communication satellite developed by JAXA  to conduct a variety of communications experiments for actualizing practical satellite communications systems in Japan.

The Sakura-2 (CS-2) was utilized for cooperation and public communications tasks, including emergency transmissions in the event of a disaster and connections with remote Japanese islands. It played a crucial role in the advancement of new communications technology as well.

The Sakura-3 (CS-3) took the place of the CS-2's communications services. still in use to help develop higher-level communication technologies and to meet the expanding demand for communications services. The scheduled functioning of CS-3a came to an end on November 30, 1995. The last day of CS-3b's planned operation was May 31, 1996.