Japan is set to launch its third spy satellite on Sunday from Tanegashima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture.
The satellite will likely focus mainly on North Korea, particularly its ballistic missile sites. Tokyo considers the missiles one of the main threats to the country.
But since Japan's spy satellites are inferior to those of the U.S. military, and even some newer commercial satellites, government officials say Japan must keep developing its own surveillance technology to ensure it has an independent source of intelligence.