Japan is mulling the deployment of an early warning satellite in the wake of North Korea's recent rocket launch.

Japan's defense minister, Hamada Yasukazu, said Thursday that Tokyo should consider deploying an early-warning satellite to monitor future missile launches around Japan.

He told a lower house security panel that the satellite would allow Japan to prepare countermeasures immediately following a rocket launch.

Japan had to rely on a U.S. military satellite to detect North Korea's launch on Sunday. While waiting for the blast-off, Japan sent out a false alarm Saturday based on information received by its own ground-based radar.

Meanwhile, the defense minister added that North Korea's ballistic missile technology will progress rapidly once it finishes testing on booster separation and position control.