After nearly a decade of trying, Japan has succeeded in establishing a network of spy satellites that can peer at any point on the globe, officials said Monday.
The successful launch Saturday of the last of a fleet of four reconnaissance satellites significantly boosts Japan's ability to gather independent intelligence and re-establishes Tokyo as a major player in Asia's accelerating space race.
Previously, Japan had to rely more heavily on its main ally, the United States, for spy satellite data.
Japan started its spy satellite program in 1998 after North Korea launched a missile over the country's main island. |