Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un, declared firmly that North Korea will take military measures in response to Japan after Japan's defense minister announced plans to accelerate security capacity enhancements.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released a statement from Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, on Wednesday (5 Aug), stating that North Korea will consider additional military options to respond to Japan's changing security posture.
Kim Yo Jong said Japan, described as a war criminal state, is rapidly transitioning into a war state with U.S. support. She cited Japan’s long-range Tomahawk missile tests and joint military exercises with the U.S. and the Philippines last May as evidence of expanding military roles in the Indo-Pacific region.
She also accused Japan of pushing forward preemptive defensive strike capabilities, emphasizing that North Korea will not stand idly by if Japan's military developments pose a serious threat to the country.
The statement came after Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said on Tuesday that Japan urgently needs to strengthen its military capabilities amid growing security threats, following a recent security report warning of increased threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.
Over recent years, Japan has gradually adjusted its security policies by increasing defense budgets, expanding defense cooperation with allies, and deploying missile systems on remote islands to respond to changing regional security conditions.
Latest data shows Japan increased its defense budget for 2025 by 9.7% to $62.2 billion, equivalent to 1.4% of GDP—the highest proportion since 1958.
Relations between North Korea and Japan remain fragile due to historical wounds from Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula until the end of World War II in 1945. Meanwhile, China, a key North Korean ally, has also expressed concern about Japan’s new military posture.
Regional tensions have also escalated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi indicated that Japan might respond militarily if China uses force to take Taiwan. North Korea continues to assert its irreversible nuclear state status after failed denuclearization talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019 due to disagreements over nuclear disarmament and sanctions relief.
Source:channelnewsasia
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