North Korea Criticizes Japan's Missile Training
(MENAFN) North Korea has strongly criticized Japan’s decision to conduct a surface-to-ship missile drill this coming June on Hokkaido, its northernmost island, accusing it of harboring intentions to "launch a surprise attack on neighbors."
The criticism follows an announcement by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), which revealed plans to carry out its first domestic live-fire exercise involving these types of missiles.
Until now, such operations had been limited to overseas locations such as the United States and Australia, as reported by the media.
In a scathing commentary issued on Saturday, a North Korean news agency denounced the drill, claiming, "It is the cunning intention of Japan to launch a surprise preemptive attack on the neighboring countries while routinely conducting the drills of long-range strike means in its country under the absurd pretext of 'security environment getting serious'."
The statement portrays Japan’s justification for the drills as deceitful and a mask for more aggressive ambitions.
According to the news agency, this action suggests that Tokyo has moved beyond its earlier pattern of acquiring offensive capabilities under the guise of “exclusive defense” through overseas drills.
The commentary argues that Japan has now transitioned to tangible preparations for direct aggression, stating that the nation "has broken the precedent whereby it had mastered the capability of conducting a war of aggression by waging missile launching drill abroad under the signboard of 'exclusive defense' so far existed for mere form's sake, and that it has embarked upon the practical action for launching a direct attack from the archipelago where huge missile forces are deployed."
The upcoming exercise will employ the Type 88 surface-to-ship missile—a mobile, anti-ship weapon system with an operational range of approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles).
This marks a significant shift in Japan’s defense posture, raising tensions with neighboring countries like North Korea.
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