Japan's flagship H2A rocket has successfully placed a government information-gathering satellite into orbit.

The rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima on Friday. The H2A shed its booster rockets and first-stage engine, and 20 minutes later placed the optical satellite into its scheduled orbit.

The satellite can capture images of anywhere on Earth from an altitude of several hundred kilometers.

It is effectively meant for intelligence-gathering, such as monitoring North Korean missile launch facilities. The government also plans to use it in times of disaster to assess the scale of damage.

Friday's liftoff marked the 48th time the H2A has been launched. The success rate of the model and its enhanced version, the H2B, stands at 98 percent -- one of the highest levels globally.

However, the high cost of launching the rockets has been a drawback. After two more launches scheduled for fiscal 2024, the H2A is to be replaced by the H3 rocket.

The H3 failed in its maiden launch last year. A second attempt is scheduled for February 15.