North Korea has condemned a recent agreement between Japan and the United States to co-produce air-to-air missiles, describing it as exacerbating regional security risks and representing another instance of Washington’s efforts to militarize Japan, according to state media reports on Wednesday.
The criticism comes as the United States upgrades its military command in Japan. North Korean officials argue that the two countries’ cooperation in munitions production clearly demonstrates military and aggressive intentions directed at countries in the region, state news agency KCNA reported.
The statements were attributed to an unnamed vice general director of North Korea’s defense ministry, who did not specifically identify target countries. However, the official referenced the AIM-120 air-to-air missile system that the United States and Japan agreed to accelerate co-producing during U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to Tokyo on Sunday.
According to the North Korean official, advancing the deployment of such weapons used by aircraft involved in frequent military exercises in the region, which already pose a significant security threat, adds a “new element of strategic instability to the Asia-Pacific region.”
“Certainly, the center of gravity of the U.S. hegemony-oriented military security strategy is changing, and it is a new warning signal for the Asia-Pacific regional society, including the countries in Northeast Asia,” the official stated.
The official added that the agreement comes as “the U.S. has connived at and encouraged Japan’s moves for a military giant since the last century.”
During Hegseth’s visit to Tokyo, he and his Japanese counterpart agreed to accelerate plans for jointly producing beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and to explore co-production of other surface-to-air missiles.
Hegseth emphasized the importance of Japan’s role in deterring China, including Beijing’s threat across the Taiwan Strait, describing Japan as a “cornerstone” of security in the region.
This positive recognition of Japan by Hegseth contrasts with his criticism of European allies and U.S. President Donald Trump’s complaint that Tokyo has not done enough to support the U.S. military presence in the country.
The North Korean Defense Ministry official concluded that countering growing instability by strengthening military deterrence remains a priority for North Korea, though no specific measures were outlined.
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