Japan has launched a new spy satellite amid growing international concern that North Korea may soon conduct another nuclear test, according to reports.

The radar-equipped satellite will orbit at an altitude of several hundred kilometers above the surface of the Earth. At that altitude, the satellite will be able to detect objects on the ground as small as one square meter. The satellite is also able to image small items on the ground at night and through cloud cover. It supplements two other Japanese satellites already in orbit.

The rocket that launched the spy satellite also carried another satellite, which will conduct tests for further development of such devices.

The liftoff occurred at around 1:40 PM local time and the satellites were released as planned

Tokyo started deploying spy satellites after North Korea's launch of the Taepodong missile in 1998, which flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific.

The launch marks the 32nd H-II model launched, and the eighth to launch spy satellites, according to Flightglobal/Ascend's launch database.