More on Japan Single-Stage-To-Orbit
When this article on the test model of a Japanese SSTO was posted on the boards a while back, I was impressed. I was even more impressed when I discovered the budget for this particular project is about $400,000 a year.
The eventual goal is to construct a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle, the "Kanko-Maru," which would take tourists to space. I wish them well!
For an interesting article on safety in such systems, see here.