Scrubbed launch casts doubt over Japan's flagship H-IIB rocket

TANEGASHIMA, Japan -- A last-minute cancellation of an H-IIB rocket launch Wednesday dealt a major blow to Japan's rocket program, which is at a crucial juncture as it moves from government to private-sector control.

With a smaller budget than western counterparts and a geographic disadvantage, the big draw for the H-IIB rocket, made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was its perfect success rate. But a yet-unexplained fire has put its reputation in jeopardy.