North Korea Slams Japan's Defense White Paper as 'Re-Invasion' Blueprint
North Korea criticizes Japan's 2026 defense white paper, calling it a 're-invasion' document that falsely labels Pyongyang a threat to justify arms buildup.
North Korea has sharply condemned Japan's latest defense white paper, describing it as a "re-invasion-minded" document aimed at legitimizing Tokyo's military expansion. In a commentary carried by state media KCNA, a North Korean analyst said the 2026 white paper "groundlessly described" the country as the greatest strategic challenge to Japan, serving as a pretext for what Pyongyang calls a reckless arms buildup.
The rebuke is part of a sustained campaign by North Korea against Japan's evolving defense posture. Since July, Pyongyang has issued at least seven statements criticizing Tokyo's policies. The rhetoric escalated last week when Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, warned that North Korea would consider "additional military options" in response to Japan's transformation into a military power. Her remarks followed a test launch of a U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile by Japan.
The day after Kim Yo Jong's warning, North Korea test-fired a short-range ballistic missile into the sea between the two countries. Analysts suggest the launch may have been intended as a direct signal to Japan, underscoring the heightened tensions in the region.