Spy satellite launches Japan back into Asia's space race

Spy satellite launches Japan back into Asia's space race

TOKYO -- After nearly a decade of trying, Japan has succeeded in establishing a network of spy satellites that can peer in on any point on the globe once a day, officials said Monday.

The successful launch Saturday of the fourth and final satellite in the spy network significantly boosts Japan's ability to independently gather intelligence on trouble spots anywhere on the globe, and re-establishes Tokyo as a major player in Asia's accelerating space race.