North Korea threatens ‘bold and decisive military steps’ against Japan

The North’s statement came four days after Japan announced a security strategy that reflects its determination to possess “counterstrike” capability and double its military spending to gain a more offensive footing against threats from China and North Korea.

North Korea threatened on December 20 to take “bold and decisive military steps” against Japan as it slammed Tokyo’s adoption of a national security strategy as an attempt to turn the country into an aggressive military power.

The North’s statement came four days after Japan announced a security strategy that reflects its determination to possess “counterstrike” capability and double its military spending to gain a more offensive footing against threats from China and North Korea.

The North’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Japan’s push to acquire counterstrike capability has nothing to do with self-defence but is a clear attempt to acquire “pre-emptive attack capability meant to launch strikes on other countries’ territories.”

“Japan’s foolish attempt to satiate its black-hearted greed — the building up of its military invasion capability with the pretext of a legitimate exercise of self-defence rights — cannot be justified and tolerated,” an unidentified Ministry spokesperson said in a statement carried by state media.

The statement accused the United States of supporting and promoting the Japanese military ambitions and undermining regional peace. It said such alleged U.S. moves are forcing North Korea to work hard to complete its plans to develop new strategic weapons to thwart enemy attempts to invade the North.

The statement said North Korea wants to make sure it can take “bold and decisive military steps” to protect its sovereignty and national interests in the wake of the complexity of regional security caused by the Japanese security strategy.

“Our country will continue to take actions to show how much we are concerned and displeased with Japan’s unjust, greedy attempt to realize its ambitions,” the statement said.