Japan launches a defense satellite carried by a new flagship H3 rocket

Japan has launched a defense satellite designed for information-gathering and military operations on a new flagship H3 rocket, as the country seeks to build up its military capability amid growing tension in the region. The H3 No. 4 rocket lifted off Monday from the Tanegashima Space Center on a southwestern Japanese island. Its payload was separated about half an hour after liftoff, and everything was going as planned, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said in a livestream. The launch came after four postponements due to a technical glitch and bad weather.