Photo/Illutration A TV screen at the Seoul Railway Station in South Korea on Nov. 22 shows a news report about North Korea's third attempt this year to launch a spy satellite into orbit. (AP Photo)

Japanese government officials on Nov. 22 criticized North Korea’s purported rocket launch and disputed Pyongyang’s claim that it had successfully put a spy satellite in orbit.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno denounced the Nov. 21 launch, saying it used North Korea’s ballistic missile technology.

He also said Defense Ministry officials were still analyzing whether a spy satellite had been placed in orbit as North Korea has claimed.

“Considerable time will be required for the analysis,” Matsuno said. “North Korea has made repeated launches at an unprecedented pace and has rapidly improved its technology and operational capability. We cannot ignore the striking improvement in its missile technology.”

But other government officials doubted the launch was a success, given the slow speed at which the rocket was fired.

A high-ranking Foreign Ministry official said the satellite launch was likely another failure.

Other Japanese officials held a phone conference with their counterparts in the United States and South Korea to discuss how to deal with the latest development.

Matsuno added at his news conference that officials were also trying to confirm if North Korea used missile technology provided by Russia.

The two nations have moved closer in recent months, including North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia in September where he met with President Vladimir Putin.

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