North Korea declared Tuesday it is making “brisk headway” in plans to send a satellite into orbit as part of its space program, a launch regional powers fear is a cover-up for testing a long-range ballistic missile capable of striking Alaska and the western United States.

Analysts called Pyongyang’s announcement yet another bid for President Barack Obama’s attention as he met in Washington with Prime Minister Taro Aso of Japan, a key ally in the regional push to get North Korea to give up its nuclear program.