"It is a relief to learn that it has resulted in a remarkable success," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told a regular news briefing.

"We once again realise that they have considerable technological might. It is good if it is used for peaceful purposes," the top government spokesman added.

Asked about concerns, particularly strong in the US media, that China might use its space technology for military purposes, Fukuda conceded: "There will be no limit to the suspicions."

"What matters is whether there is an intention (of military use). We must see to it that this is not an era for that. We must keep it in mind," he said.

China completed its first manned space flight Thursday when the Shenzhou V capsule with astronaut Yang Liwei returned to Earth, landing safely in a desert in Inner Mongolia.

On Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi praised the successul launch of the spacecraft and wished for its safe return. At the time, he said that space technology should be "used strictly for peaceful purposes."

Fukuda on Wednesday said that China's new membership of the elite club of three nations that have put humans into space would not directly force the Tokyo government to review its official development aid to China.

Such aid is usually meant for developing countries.

"There is no need to change the assistance policy" just because of the Shenzhou launch, he said. "We will assess Japan-China relations as a whole in deciding what we will do in the future."

The Tokyo government has been under pressure in recent years particularly from the conservative ruling party to re-think twice its development aid to China whose economic and military presence has been on the rise.

In 2001, Tokyo decided to focus its aid to Beijing on projects to alleviate environmental risks and help impoverished inland areas.

SPACE.WIRE