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North Korea has informed Japan of its plans to launch a satellite in the coming days, according to the Japanese government. This announcement comes less than three months after a failed attempt resulted in a military satellite plunging into the sea.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s office released a statement confirming that Pyongyang had notified Japan of the planned launch. In response, Kishida has instructed his government to collaborate with the United States, South Korea, and other nations to urge North Korea to cancel the launch.

The Japan Coast Guard has designated three danger areas for the “satellite rocket launch,” which is scheduled to take place between August 24 and 31. These areas include the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and waters east of the Philippines’ Luzon island.

In May, North Korea launched what it claimed to be its first military reconnaissance satellite. However, the rocket carrying the satellite malfunctioned and fell into the sea shortly after takeoff. The North Korean government stated that the development of the spy satellite was necessary to counterbalance the growing US military presence in the region.

North Korea’s state news agency recently criticized the “aggressive character” of joint military drills conducted by the United States and South Korea. The agency warned that if the drills involve a “nuclear provocation,” the possibility of a thermonuclear war on the Korean peninsula would become more realistic.

The previous satellite launch in May was condemned by the United States, South Korea, and Japan as a violation of United Nations resolutions that prohibit North Korea from using ballistic missile technology. Analysts have pointed out the significant technological overlap between the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles and space launch capabilities.

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has made the development of a military spy satellite a top priority. South Korea’s spy agency has informed lawmakers that Pyongyang could potentially launch a reconnaissance satellite in late August or early September, just before the 75th anniversary of the regime’s founding.

After the satellite’s crash in May, South Korea conducted a salvage operation that lasted 36 days and involved naval rescue ships, mine sweepers, and deep-sea divers. The retrieved parts of the rocket and satellite were then analyzed by experts from South Korea and the United States. South Korea’s defense ministry concluded that the satellite had no military utility.

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