Which country has announced plans to develop an international lunar research base in cooperation with other nations?

Introduction / Context:
Space exploration has expanded beyond national missions to include international cooperation on large and complex projects. Building a research base on the Moon is one such ambitious idea. Some countries have proposed international lunar bases where scientists from different nations can work together on studies of the lunar surface, space technology, and future deep space missions. This question asks which country has publicly announced plans to develop an international lunar research base with partners from other nations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question focuses on a proposed or planned international lunar research base.
• Options include Japan, India, Russia, and China.
• We assume recent years in which countries have updated their space exploration strategies.
• The correct answer should match a program that explicitly invites international cooperation on a lunar base.

Concept / Approach:
China has announced plans for an International Lunar Research Station and has invited other countries to participate in its design and use. This project is part of China's broader lunar exploration program, which includes robotic missions and long term goals for human exploration. Although Japan, India, and Russia have active space programs and have launched lunar missions, the specific concept of an international lunar research base is most strongly associated with Chinese plans in recent announcements. Therefore, among the given options, China is the country that fits the description in the question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the key phrase in the question is international lunar research base. Step 2: Recall which country has recently promoted a concept called an International Lunar Research Station. Step 3: Note that China has discussed such a project and invited other countries to join. Step 4: Compare this with Japanese, Indian, and Russian space plans, which focus on other types of missions. Step 5: Select China as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, think of recent space news about Chinese lunar missions, including successful landings on the far side of the Moon and plans for future exploration. These reports often mention the idea of setting up a cooperative research base. In contrast, Japan has focused on lunar orbiters and landers, India has operated missions like Chandrayaan, and Russia has discussed returning to the Moon but without the same widely publicized international base proposal. This pattern supports choosing China as the answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Japan has an advanced space agency and has participated in international space station projects, but it is not primarily associated with a named international lunar base plan in the same way as China. India has made significant achievements in lunar and planetary exploration but has not publicly led an international lunar base proposal of this type. Russia has great experience from the Soviet and post Soviet space programs, yet recent discussions of an international lunar base have centered more on Chinese initiatives rather than Russian led plans. Therefore Japan, India, and Russia do not best match the description in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes answer based purely on which space program they are most familiar with rather than focusing on the specific wording about an international lunar base. Another mistake is to assume that traditional space leaders such as Russia must be behind any new project. Carefully reading the phrase international lunar research base and connecting it with recent Chinese announcements helps avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
The country that has announced plans to develop an international lunar research base in cooperation with other nations is China.