TOKYO - Japan is set to launch its fourth intelligence-gathering satellite into space in February, the government said Friday.

The government plans to launch the radar satellite atop the domestically developed H2-A rocket on February 15 from Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima - 985 kilometers (616 miles) southwest of Tokyo - the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office said in a statement.

The announcement comes amid concerns about neighboring North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs. Pyongyang test-fired missiles in July and conducted its first atomic test in October. Multinational talks on the North's nuclear program ended without a breakthrough on Friday in Beijiing.

Japan already has three other intelligence-gathering satellites in orbit under a program prompted by North Korea's test launch of a long-range missile over Japan's main island in 1998.

Japan hopes to use the satellites to be able to survey any point in the world and keep watch on North Korea.

Japan insists that the satellites are not meant to be a provocation and will also be used for monitoring natural disasters and weather patterns. Critics, however, say sending up the satellites violates Japan's long-standing policy of conducting only nonmilitary space missions.

The multibillion dollar program suffered a major setback in November 2003, when a rocket carrying two spy satellites malfunctioned and was destroyed in mid-flight.