Arab News Japan

TOKYO: North Korea has criticized Japan’s development of long-range missiles capable of hitting “enemy bases” as “an extremely dangerous idea.”

A commentary from the Korean Central News Agency on Monday says Japan will deploy missiles with a range of 1,000 kms in the western prefecture of Kumamoto this year and other missiles in Oita and Okinawa next year.

North Korea conveniently forgets its own extensive missile program, which includes cruise missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles based on Russian SCUD missiles. These have already been tested up to 1,500 kms, according to reports from South Korea.

North Korea says the missiles are not for defensive purposes, as Japan claims, but will be deployed “to realize Japan’s pre-emptive attack ability to realize the ambition of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere,” a term used for Japan’s expansionism prior to World War II.

The commentary says Japan is getting closer “to an environment where a war of aggression can be transferred to actual combat through the strengthening and reorganization of its military forces. All these military movements are aimed at realizing the purpose of a pre-emptive attack.”

The piece concludes: “Reality shows that Japan is crazy about becoming a military power. War-offender countries should not act rashly. The day of the re-invasion gunfire that Japan is trying to speed up so much will be the day when we step into a hell that cannot be revived.”