TOKYO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- One of Japan's four spy satellites orbiting earth has hit a snag and has not been functioning properly from Sunday, Kyodo News said Tuesday, citing the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center.

    The No. 1 satellite, put into orbit in March 2003, appears to have run into electrical trouble, the center said, adding that it does not know when the satellite can be put back into operation again.

    Japan has just completed the building of a full global information gathering system with its launch of the fourth spy satellite in February. The system is designed of the capability of photographing of any point on earth once a day.