Japan launches satellite

TOKYO - Japan launched an intelligence satellite Saturday from Tanegashima Space Centre in the Japanese prefecture of Kagoshima, a report said.

The JAXA, Japan’s national space agency, launched the satellite at 10.21 a.m. local time.

The satellite will reportedly be used to improve the monitoring activity on North Korea and watch for missile tests and military movements in that country, a Xinhua news agency report said.

The satellite will be equipped with digital cameras that are able to identify objects of about 60 cm in size from the space.

The satellite is the third of its kind and cost around $550 million to build.