North Korea warns Japan over military buildup

On August 5, 2026, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued a statement through the North Korea — Korean Central News Agency warning that North Korea would adopt 'additional military options' in response to Japan's military buildup. She accused Japan of transforming into a 'war state' and reviving the ambitions of a 'war criminal state,' citing Japan's recent test-firing of a Tomahawk cruise missile and its participation in US-led military drills in the Philippines. Kim stated that North Korea would not remain a 'passive onlooker' and would make Japan regret its actions. Japan's Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi had earlier emphasized the need to boost the military with a 'sense of urgency and crisis,' and Japan's defense ministry confirmed the Tomahawk test, stating its defense capabilities remain 'bare minimum' and are not meant to threaten other countries. Japan has ordered up to 400 Tomahawk missiles from the United States, with deliveries expected by March 2028. Japan's defense spending has risen to 1.9% of GDP for the current fiscal year, and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has accelerated the target of 2% of GDP. The statement is part of a series of North Korean commentaries criticizing US-Japan-South Korea security cooperation. Analysts suggest Pyongyang is framing Japan's military modernization as a direct threat to justify its own weapons development.