Japan Launches Two More Spy Satellites

Japan will launch two more spy satellites on September 10th to conduct more thorough surveillance over North Korea, reported The Asahi Shimbun yesterday. Special equipment will be mounted on the radar satellites so that they could inspect the isolated regime in dark or even in bad weather.

The Japanese government will officially announce the decision near the middle of this month, after convening a cabinet meeting.

Japan first decided to launch its own satellites in 1988 when North Korea tested its missiles that flew over it and fell into the Pacific.

Japan developed its own rocket HA-2, and succeeded this March in sending two intelligence satellites onto the earth`s orbit. The two satellites now orbit over North Korea twice a day, or in the morning and in the afternoon, and monitor North Korea`s moves.

Hun-Joo Cho hanscho@donga.com