North Korea slammed Japan’s reported plans to increase its defense budget, accusing Tokyo on Saturday of preparing for a “war of aggression” as its U.S. ally pursues talks with Pyongyang.
Japan has been gradually moving away from its post-World War II pacifist stance, increasing military spending, ramping up defense pacts and deploying missile launchers to its outer islands.
The Japanese defense ministry is now seeking a “record-high” budget for the upcoming fiscal year, broadcaster NHK and other media outlets reported last week, putting the sum at 8.9 trillion yen.
The budget request “will once again break all-time records”, a commentary carried by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
While not yet finalized, the move “clearly signifies a dangerous expansion of the war budget that will bring new turmoil to the region and the world”, KCNA said. “This massive increase in military spending will lead to a buildup of military power to complete preparations for a war of aggression”.
The United States, an old Japanese and South Korean ally, meanwhile, seeks its own engagement with Pyongyang, with President Donald Trump scaling back annual military drills with Seoul aimed at countering potential threats from the nuclear-armed North.
