DPRK FM Spokesman on Revised "U.S.-Japan Defense Cooperation Guidelines

 Pyongyang, April 30 (KCNA) -- Diplomatic and military authorities of the United States and Japan held a security meeting on April 27 to revise the "U.S.-Japan defense cooperation guidelines".
    In the new "guidelines" the U.S. set major five sectors for security cooperation with Japan ranging from "peace time" to "contingency", calling for such strengthened role of the Japan "Self-Defense Forces" (SDF) as ballistic missile interception, logistic support to the U.S. forces worldwide, guarantee of maritime security, search and mine sweeping, non-proliferation of WMDs, inspection of vessels and anti-terrorism operation.
    After all the U.S. expanded to the whole world the sphere of SDF's activities, which had been limited to the vicinity of Japan, and made it possible to get military support from Japan during its military operation in any part of the world.
    In this regard, a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Thursday condemning the revised guidelines.
    What cannot be overlooked is the fact that the U.S. pulled up the DPRK, contending that the revision was needed to "deter any provocative action" of the latter, the statement said, adding:
    The U.S. asserted that the revised "guidelines" are to cope with "threat" from the DPRK.
    But it is the ulterior objective of the U.S. to lessen its heavy burden of military spending with the strengthened role of SDF, use Japan as a shock brigade for realizing its ambition for world supremacy, encircle and contain its rivals in Eurasia by force of arms and maintain its hegemonic position.
    The U.S. has fanned up Japan's revival of militarism to attain its goal, in disregard of the world concern over the latter's attempt to embellish and deny the past history.
    The strengthened U.S.-Japan military alliance will inevitably harass the stability of Northeast Asia, foment confrontation and friction in the region and spark off disputes and arms race.
    No matter how the structure of relations among neighboring countries may change, the DPRK will invariably hold fast to the Songun politics and the line of simultaneously developing the two fronts and bolster up its capabilities for self-defense with the nuclear deterrent as a pivot unless the U.S. gives up its hostile policy aimed to stifle the former. -0-