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Japan Launches Third Spy Satellite to Watch Over North Korea

Japan has launched its third spy satellite"The United States is not the target,"
into orbit. Like the first two, this one isQuinones says. "It's here, Japan. You've got
intended primarily to monitor activities inU.S. military bases here. You've got the
North  Korea.world economy here, world communications. You
want to shake up the international community,
Prior to 1998, Japan had held back onaim  for  Tokyo,  or  anyplace  in  Japan."
intelligence gathering from space. It was
worried about violating its pacifistReports that North Korea might be preparing
constitution, and relied instead onto detonate a nuclear weapon are only
information  from  U.S.  spy  satellites.speculative, but Washington and other
governments have warned against any such
But North Korea fired a ballistic missiletest.
over Japan in 1998, and the mood here
changed. The Japanese government began itsU.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher
own spy satellite program to watch over itsHill is in charge of the stalled negotiations
unpredictable neighbor. Those same concernsover Pyongyang's nuclear programs. In China
were in evidence Monday afternoon as Japanon Monday, Hill said a North Korean nuclear
launched its third spy satellite. There havetest  would  be  "a  very  provocative  act."
been signs that North Korea might be
preparing to test-fire more missiles, as itHowever, Kenneth Quinones, now head of global
did in early July, or to set off a teststudies at Japan's Akita International
nuclear  explosion.University, advises against putting too much
pressure on the North Korean regime of Kim
The Japanese satellite went into orbit aboardJong Il. Quinones says Kim has to meet the
a rocket launched from the Tanegashima Spaceexpectations of his own generals, and
Center in southern Japan. The launch had beenpredicts Pyongyang will become even more
scheduled for Sunday, but was delayed becauseaggressive  if  pushed  too  hard.
of  weather  conditions.
"The more the international pressures you
Government officials say the opticalassert on Kim Jong Il, the more prone he is
satellite will give Japan the ability toto act exactly as you don't want him to,"
monitor any point on the planet once a day.Quinones says. "He has got to show his
Japanese satellites have lower resolutiongenerals that he is just as brave as his
than the U.S. versions, but reportedly canfather and that he is not going to bow to us,
still  see  items  that  are  quite  small.the  'imperialists."
Kenneth Quinones, a former North Korea expertQuinones suggests that Washington should let
with the U.S. State Department, says JapanBeijing take the lead in negotiating with the
has good reason to be concerned about NorthNorth Koreans. China, he notes, has two
Korea's  nuclear  activities.thousand years of experience in dealing with
its neighbor.



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