| Japan has launched its third spy satellite | | | | "The United States is not the target," |
| into orbit. Like the first two, this one is | | | | Quinones says. "It's here, Japan. You've got |
| intended primarily to monitor activities in | | | | U.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 on | | | | aim for Tokyo, or anyplace in Japan." |
| intelligence gathering from space. It was | | | | |
| worried about violating its pacifist | | | | Reports that North Korea might be preparing |
| constitution, and relied instead on | | | | to 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 missile | | | | test. |
| over Japan in 1998, and the mood here | | | | |
| changed. The Japanese government began its | | | | U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher |
| own spy satellite program to watch over its | | | | Hill is in charge of the stalled negotiations |
| unpredictable neighbor. Those same concerns | | | | over Pyongyang's nuclear programs. In China |
| were in evidence Monday afternoon as Japan | | | | on Monday, Hill said a North Korean nuclear |
| launched its third spy satellite. There have | | | | test would be "a very provocative act." |
| been signs that North Korea might be | | | | |
| preparing to test-fire more missiles, as it | | | | However, Kenneth Quinones, now head of global |
| did in early July, or to set off a test | | | | studies 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 aboard | | | | Jong Il. Quinones says Kim has to meet the |
| a rocket launched from the Tanegashima Space | | | | expectations of his own generals, and |
| Center in southern Japan. The launch had been | | | | predicts Pyongyang will become even more |
| scheduled for Sunday, but was delayed because | | | | aggressive if pushed too hard. |
| of weather conditions. | | | | |
| | | | "The more the international pressures you |
| Government officials say the optical | | | | assert on Kim Jong Il, the more prone he is |
| satellite will give Japan the ability to | | | | to 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 resolution | | | | generals that he is just as brave as his |
| than the U.S. versions, but reportedly can | | | | father 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 expert | | | | Quinones suggests that Washington should let |
| with the U.S. State Department, says Japan | | | | Beijing take the lead in negotiating with the |
| has good reason to be concerned about North | | | | North Koreans. China, he notes, has two |
| Korea's nuclear activities. | | | | thousand years of experience in dealing with |
| | | | its neighbor. |