Japan Accelerating Militarization, Says North Korea's KCNA

PYONGYANG, August 24. /TASS/. Japan is accelerating its line toward militarization and creating conditions for further expansion of its military capabilities, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The authors of the report highlighted the events held on August 15 at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, which is viewed in North Korea and several other Asian countries as a symbol of militarism. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi previously sent a ritual offering to the shrine. Pyongyang links the move to Tokyo’s military policy, specifically, the deployment of preemptive strike capabilities, plans to ease arms export restrictions, and a potential revision of Japan’s policy against possessing, producing, or hosting nuclear weapons.