KCNA Commentary on Japan's Dangerous Move for Overseas Aggression

Pyongyang, December 2 (KCNA) -- Japan has become further pronounced in its attempt at overseas expansion.

At a recent ministerial meeting, the Japanese government decided to extend the duration of an escort ship of the Maritime "Self-defence Force" dispatched to the sea off Somalia for one more year and to increase the number of the crew under the pretext of "counter-piracy activities".

It also decided to extend the duration of activities of SDF dispatched to multinational forces and inspection group in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt for one more year.

What can not be overlooked are the military operations of the maritime SDF that is gaining momentum.

In November, it held joint drills with carrier strike force of the British navy in the Aden Bay in the sea off Somalia and joint exercises with the Australian navy in the sea south of Shikoku.

It frequently holds joint exercises with multinational forces in the seas off Japan. A good example is the five-nation joint military exercises it conducted with the naval forces of the U.S., Australia, Canada and Germany in the Philippine Sea near the southern part of Japan for 10 days until November 30.

Experts contend that the drill would threaten peace in East Asia and arouse displeasure of regional countries as more than 30 warships including the nuclear carrier Carl Vinson of the U.S. navy and dozens of airplanes were involved in it.

Japan's repeated extension of the SDF's overseas stay and intensive joint military drills are dangerous moves aimed to launch overseas aggression any moment by perfecting the SDF's war capability and by regularizing and validating its overseas advance.

Since the adoption of a law on overseas dispatch under the slogan of "peace-keeping" in 1992, Japan has dispatched SDF forces to various parts overseas, accumulating experiences in actual wars.

The SDF dispatched overseas under various pretexts have had their durations repeatedly extended and they continue to expand the scope of military operation overseas.

The SDF has already turned into regular armed forces of attack type, in breach of the principle of "exclusive defence".

However, the Japanese authorities now plan to double the military spending that has so far been limited to be less than 1% of GDP for next year, which will earmark the biggest budget for "defence".

The Japanese media comment that in case this is realized, Japan will come third in the world in the military expenditure.

The ultimate goal of Japan is to rapidly become a military power and develop attack weapons and thus contain regional countries and retake its past position as a suzerain country.

Japan is a war criminal country which provoked a war of aggression against Asian countries in the past and also a war defeated nation. It is a criminal country that has not redeemed its past though the lapse of several decades.

This country with such dangerous outlook on history is bolstering military capabilities for attack which indicates that it can come out for overseas aggression any moment.

Herein lies a reason why the international community should be vigilant against Japan's moves.

Japan should bear in mind that rushing headlong into bolstering military buildup, being oblivious of its past history, will bring it self-destruction only. -0-