Pyongyang: North Korea on Wednesday denounced Japan's launch of a new military command aimed at better integrating its self-defense force units, claiming Tokyo is in the final stage of preparing to become a "war state."
According to Yonhap News Agency, Japan on Monday launched the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) Joint Operation Command, a new command designed to oversee joint operations of its ground, maritime, and air defense forces. This initiative aims to enhance response to emergency situations and facilitate coordination with U.S. troops stationed in Japan.
North Korea asserted that Japan established the command for the "practical" use of long-range missiles, focusing on preparations to become a war state for overseas aggression since its defeat in World War II. "Such a preparation has entered the final stage," the Korean Central News Agency stated in a commentary.
Citing Japan-led joint military drills with 11 nations last year and a trilateral naval exercise among South Korea, the United States, and Japan in March, North Korea claimed Japan is gearing up to reach the front lines to realize its wartime militarism.
North Korea has shown a sensitive reaction to Japan's military buildup. Last week, Pyongyang condemned Japan's move to consider long-range missiles on its southwestern island of Kyushu, warning that the move would make it a "common target" for its neighboring countries.