Tensions continue to mount on the Korean peninsula ahead of the North Korean Workers’ Party plenum scheduled for late December. The past few months have seen Pyongyang fire numerous missiles and Seoul rehearse military drills with the United States. But on the other side of the sea, Japan has also reaffirmed its defense protocol against the regime of Kim Jong-un.
Launch a “ real action against Japan. This is the threat made by North Korea this Tuesday morning, reports our correspondent in Seoul, Celio Fioretti. The regime did not specify, however, what exactly it meant by this term. The reason for this threat, the revision of Tokyo’s security policy, which once again places North Korea as ” imminent threat “.
In this new defense plan, the archipelago plans to be able to launch pre-emptive strikes on North Korea, that is to say, to strike the country if an attack is imminent. A doctrine of counter-attack considered “ intolerable by Pyongyang. ” Japan is creating a serious security crisis (…) by adopting a new security strategy that effectively formalizes the possession of pre-emptive strike capabilities against other countries North Korea’s foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement. ” The formalization of Japan’s new line of aggression has fundamentally changed the security environment in East Asia “, Indicates the press release, taken up by the official agency KCNA.
Japan maintains that its proposed counterattack capabilities are for self-defense only, but the North Korean regime accuses it of becoming a ” aggressive military power “.
A new defense strategy without consultation with Seoul
This new national security strategy did not only worry North Korea. Seoul also reacted to the pre-emptive strikes and regrets that Tokyo plans to defend itself without consulting South Korea. What rekindle some tensions while the two countries are getting closer diplomatically.
Japan’s new strategic document also warns that Moscow’s military positions in Asia and its cooperation with China constitute “ a strong concern for security “.
The White House said this overhaul will “ strengthen and modernize » Japan’s military alliance with the United States.
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(And with AFP)