By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-06-23 09:26:46 | Updated at 2026-06-23 11:00:19
1 hour ago
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un criticised Japan as turning into a “war state” in a speech during a three-day meeting held until June 22, according to official news media.
“Japan, a defeated country in Asia, has openly turned itself into a war state by taking the present disturbing circumstances as an opportunity to get rid of all shackles restricting its moves to become a military power,” he said, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on June 23.
“This is inviting a strong backlash and serious concern from the international community,” he added in the concluding speech during a meeting of the ruling party.
It is believed to be the first time that Kim has referred to “moves to become a military power” and “militarism” in criticising Japan.
During his visit to Pyongyang earlier in June, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed opposition to attempts to “revive militarism” at a welcome banquet hosted by Kim, with his remarks apparently targeting Japan.
In Tokyo, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara refrained from commenting on Kim’s remarks but said Japan’s “exclusively defence-oriented” policy remains unchanged and that it maintains only the minimum capabilities necessary for self-defence.
“Assertions that Japan is becoming a military power or reviving militarism are unfounded,” Kihara, the top government spokesman, told a press conference, urging Pyongyang to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions that ban the nation’s nuclear and missile activities.
Kim also rapped the US and South Korea for “extremely aggravating the situation in the Korean peninsula” through the modernisation of their armed forces, military drills and espionage activities, and pushed for a faster build-up of national defence capabilities.
“The US indiscriminate and high-handed practices have dangerously impacted its satellite forces,” he said, in an apparent reference to Japan and South Korea. “The reality goes to prove once again the justness of all of our political choices and the path we followed.”
He vowed that with nuclear technology as a basis, “more extensive, innovative and encouraging plans would be carried out with increasing speed”, the report said.
Kim set forth “tasks to dynamically carry out the work to increase powerful defence assets without pause in our own way and with a goal of overtaking the world”, KCNA said.
As for South Korea, Kim said it was “essential to thoroughly adhere to the principle of struggle against the enemy” set forth by the ruling party, which defined the South as “the most hostile state”.
The speech was given during a plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea. KYODO NEWS
