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