Situation on Korean Peninsula Can Never Be Tool for Meeting Japan's Interests: KCNA Commentary

Pyongyang, August 22 (KCNA) -- Very noticeable under the present situation is the military move of Japan.

The Japan Defense Minister recently described the DPRK's legitimate military measures for self-defence as sort of "threats" and called for further beefing up Japan's missile defence system. He also voiced his invariable stand for the deployment of Aegis Ashore despite strong rebuff at home and abroad.

This act expressly aggravating the regional situation vividly shows the crafty aim of the Japanese reactionaries to use the present stalemate on the Korean peninsula as a good opportunity for arms buildup.

It is a trite method used by the island country to deliberately strain the situation and use it as a pretext for openly pushing forward the moves for becoming a military power under the signboard of "defence".

Persistently spreading the story of the "threats from north Korea" in the past, Japan abused it for realizing its militarist ambition and found pleasure in faulting others.

It was none other than the Japanese reactionaries who were most displeased with the recent trend toward peace created on the Korean peninsula and the region and hindered every positive move.

They are now going sly to destroy the atmosphere of dialogue, incite the feelings of "insecurity" while branding the measures taken by the DPRK for bolstering up its military capability for self-defence as "violation of the UN Security Council resolutions" and a "serious task".

But with no sleight of hand can Japan cover up its true nature as a disturber of regional peace and a chieftain of the strained tension.

The Japan Defence Ministry announced on August 16 that it officially decided to introduce F-35B equipped with the capabilities for short-distance lift and vertical landing.

This aims at their practical use not only in the Air "Self-defence Force" (SDF) but on Izmo, the largest warship of the Maritime SDF. Therefore, the SDF's possession of a carrier, which does not comply with the principle of exclusive defence, has become an established fact.

Earlier, the Ministry announced that the largest-ever 5.3 trillion yen will be included in the rough budget estimate for next year.

Commenting on Japan's reckless military buildup, the south Korean MBC said that "Japan plans to squander 245 billion USD as defence expenditure for the upcoming five years. This means 50 billion USD a year, much greater than that of Britain and France. The scale of Japan's naval forces is reported to be larger than the combination of those of France and Britain. It is so huge unbecoming for a state that has a constitution banning a war."

Japan should clearly bear in mind the grave consequences to be entailed by its moves of trying to strain the regional situation and use it as a pretext for realizing their wild ambition.

The situation on the Korean peninsula can never be a tool serving Japan's interests. -0-