TOKYO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Japan successfully launched a spy satellite with an H-2A rocket on Monday from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan's Kagoshima prefecture, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said.

    The intelligence-gathering satellite, which was launched at 1:35 p.m. (0435 GMT), has separated from the rocket and been sent into a preconcerted orbit as planned, the agency said.

    The satellite is the first one of the second pair of spy satellites, in Japan's plan of building a global information gathering system.

    The optical satellite is capable of a resolution of one meter and can distinguish objects such as cars on the ground. It will be running in an orbit some 400-600 kilometers from the earth and monitor the earth with high-performance digital cameras, according to media reports.

    Due to the sensitive nature of the satellite, the JAXA does not disclose the exact size, weight, or the exact time it separated from the rocket. The agency did not offer on-line live broadcasting either, as it did with many previous launches.

    The launch of the rocket was initially scheduled for Sunday, but was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions around the space center.

    Japan will send a radar satellite, which is the remaining half of the second pair, in January or February next year, the agency said. The new pair of satellites are designed to work with the first two to take pictures on any point of the earth surface at least once a day.

    Japan launched the first pair of satellites successfully in March 2003, but failed in the launch of a second set due to rocket problems later that year. Enditem