North Korea Warns Japan Over Nuclear Weapons Talk

By Staff, Agencies

North Korea has sharply criticized Japan after a senior official reportedly suggested Tokyo may need to reconsider its post–World War II non-nuclear stance, warning that Japanese nuclear armament would lead to “a great disaster.”

In a statement carried Sunday by state media, Pyongyang condemned remarks attributed to a senior adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who reportedly told NHK last week that reliance on the US nuclear deterrent might no longer be sufficient and that Japan should rethink its non-nuclear policy.

The comments, described as personal and off the record, went viral and sparked controversy over Japan’s official position.

“The Japanese ruling quarters are openly revealing their ambition to possess nuclear weapons, going beyond the red line for a war criminal state,” North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

It added that the remarks were not a slip of the tongue but reflected Japan’s “long-cherished ambition for nuclear armament.”

The ministry accused Japan of duplicity, saying Tokyo promotes a nuclear-free world while secretly pursuing nuclear weapons, and urged the international community to prevent such a move.

Russia and China also voiced concern. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko warned that abandoning Japan’s non-nuclear stance would destabilize Northeast Asia, while Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun called the remarks “extremely serious.”

The comments drew criticism within Japan, including from ruling and opposition parties and the atomic bomb survivors’ group Nihon Hidankyo.

Tokyo reaffirmed its non-nuclear policy on Friday, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stressing Japan’s commitment to “a world without nuclear weapons.”