Japan plans to send two more spy satellites into orbit by March 31, 2007, to strengthen the monitoring of movements in North Korea, notably its missile and nuclear development facilities, according to government sources.
If successful, Japan will have a total of four spy satellites in operation, together capable of taking a photo of any ground spot in North Korea once a day, up from the current once every two days.
Two spy satellites were placed in orbit with the domestically developed H-IIA rocket for the first time in March 2003.
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