Japan set to launch its fourth spy satellite

Tokyo, Feb 16: Japan was set to launch its fourth spy satellite today, completing plans to monitor from space potential threats including North Korea, which has an arsenal of missiles that can reach all of Japan.

Japan's flagship H2-A rocket was due to put a radar satellite into orbit later in the day, adding to two optical satellites and another radar satellite already in operation.

By having the pairs of radar and optical satellites working together, Japan would be able to monitor any point on Earth once a day, government officials have said.

The H2-A, to be launched from a space centre on the southern island of Tanegashima, will also carry an experimental optical satellite, Japan's space agency JAXA said.

The launch had originally been scheduled for yesterday but was delayed by bad weather, JAXA said.

While the launch completes Japan's spy satellite programme that was initiated after North Korea launched a ballistic missile in 1998 that flew over Japan, there are already calls to strengthen surveillance capabilities.

The programme was delayed when two satellites were lost after a rocket failed in November 2003.

North Korea conducted a nuclear test last October following the firing of a salvo of missiles in July.

In January, China triggered concerns around the world by carrying out an anti-satellite test, using a ballistic missile to shoot down a satellite in space.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's national security adviser told Reuters in November that Japan needs to improve the capabilities of its spy satellites and should study whether to lift a decades-old ban on military use of space to allow it to do so.

Japan has adhered to a 1969 parliamentary resolution limiting the use of space to peaceful purposes, but Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is likely to submit a bill to the current session of parliament that would ease regulations and allow non-aggressive military use of space, LDP officials have said.

At present, Japan's satellites can differentiate objects a metre (3 feet) or more in diameter, whereas US military satellites are said to be able to do so for items one-tenth as large.

Reuters