Japan and its missile defense system remained on high alert Thursday as the first day of North Korea's launch window for what is believed to be a long-range ballistic missile test passed without incident.
North Korea said it will launch the rocket by sometime between 7 a.m. and noon Monday. It says the rocket will put a satellite into orbit, but other nations suspect it is really a military test.
The government has set up a special task force at the crisis management center in the prime minister's office, where officials are collecting and analyzing information on the launch.