From BBC News: “An H-2A rocket carrying the satellite lifted off from a base in southern Japan at 0441 GMT, officials said. Tokyo began launching spy satellites in 2003, after North Korea fired a missile over Japan’s main island in 1998. Japan sees itself as one of the top targets of the Communist state, which last year tested a nuclear bomb.” In light of recent events, it seems that this was the inevitable next step. Japan has launched it’s forth Satellite into space, meaning the military can see just about anything it needs to.

Meanwhile, Wired News points out some controversy about the satellite’s abilities: “But weaknesses in the satellites’ capabilities have led to criticism that the program is a waste of money and, with better data available on the commercial market, that Japan will continue to be dependent on Washington for its core intelligence.” Wired also points out China has satellite killing capabilites via missles.
I can’t help but wonder if there will be yet more backlash about this from the Chinese and Koreans. I seem to recall a huge debacle over an American spy plane crashing some odd years back. How long will the satellite get to live?
[sources: BBC Article; more in-depth Wired article]