Japan to use unmanned spy planes

TOKYO, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Japan expects to start selecting unmanned spy planes soon for use beginning in 2007, a top official says.

Fukushiro Nukaga, the defense agency director general, said the planes should enable his agency to gather ballistic missile launch information immediately and monitor hostile vessels and planes if remote islands are attacked.

Japan is developing spy planes, but Kyoto News, citing sources, said the agency will first import them from other countries, including the United States.