(UPDATE) TOKYO: North Korea has issued a formal notice of a satellite launch as early as Wednesday, Japan said on Tuesday, with Pyongyang's third attempt to put a military eye in the sky coming after it likely received technical help from Russia in exchange for arms transfers.

North Korea's previous efforts to put a spy satellite into orbit in May and August both failed, and Seoul, Tokyo and Washington have repeatedly warned Pyongyang not to proceed with another launch, which would violate successive rounds of United Nations resolutions.