North Korea slams Japan's record ¥8.9 trillion defence budget as 'war preparation'
Synopsis
North Korea has branded Japan's record ¥8.9 trillion defence budget request a blueprint for 'war of aggression,' threatening collective retaliation. With the final figure expected to hit ¥10 trillion and Japan simultaneously acquiring US Tomahawk missiles, Pyongyang's rhetoric reflects a Northeast Asian security environment that is deteriorating faster than diplomatic channels can manage.
Key Takeaways
North Korea condemned Japan's record defence budget request on Saturday , calling it preparation for a 'war of aggression.' Japan's defence ministry submitted a budget request of ¥8.9 trillion (US$60 billion) for the next fiscal year, with the final figure projected at around ¥10 trillion .
The condemnation was published in Rodong Sinmun and carried by KCNA , North Korea's state news agency.
North Korea also criticised Japan's acquisition of US-made Tomahawk missiles and pointed to Japan's national debt of ¥1,343 trillion .
Pyongyang threatened to 'thoroughly counterattack with united strength,' consistent with its established rhetorical posture on Japanese defence policy.
North Korea on Saturday sharply condemned Japan's plan to submit a record-high defence budget request for the next fiscal year, warning that the move amounts to preparation for a 'war of aggression' and threatening to 'counterattack thoroughly' with collective strength. The statement marks one of Pyongyang's most pointed responses yet to Tokyo's ongoing military expansion.
The Budget That Triggered the Condemnation
Japan's defence ministry on Wednesday filed a budget request of ¥8.9 trillion (approximately US$60 billion) for the next fiscal year — a record figure that is expected to climb further to around ¥10 trillion once the final budget is approved at the end of the year. The request reflects Tokyo's accelerating push to double its defence spending as part of a broader national security overhaul.
What North Korea Said
The condemnation was carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), citing a commentary published in Rodong Sinmun, the most widely circulated newspaper in North Korea. 'The expansion of the war budget is a dangerous move that brings new turmoil to the region and the world,' the commentary stated.
The piece went further, asserting: 'There can be no doubt that the massive increase in military spending will lead to an arms buildup aimed at completing preparations for a war of aggression.' It claimed the international community 'will never tolerate the military buildup of the descendants of a war-criminal state and will thoroughly counter it with united strength.'
KCNA also took aim at Japan's acquisition of US-made Tomahawk missiles, framing it as evidence of offensive intent. Notably, the commentary pointed to Japan's national debt — which stood at a record ¥1,343 trillion at the end of last year — to argue that the defence surge constitutes a misuse of public funds. 'It is crystal clear that the purpose of squandering massive amounts of taxpayers' money is by no means to build a peaceful state,' KCNA said.
Context and Regional Significance
Japan's defence expansion has been a recurring flashpoint in Northeast Asia. Tokyo has framed its military buildup as a response to threats from North Korea and China, citing Pyongyang's accelerating missile programme and Beijing's growing assertiveness in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. Critics within Japan and across the region, however, argue that the pace of militarisation risks destabilising an already tense security environment.
This is not the first time North Korea has condemned Japan's defence posture. Pyongyang has consistently objected to what it describes as a revival of Japanese militarism, invoking the legacy of World War II — during which Japan colonised the Korean peninsula — to delegitimise Tokyo's security ambitions.
What Comes Next
Japan's final defence budget is expected to be formalised by the end of the calendar year. Whether the figure reaches or exceeds the projected ¥10 trillion threshold will be closely watched by governments across the region. North Korea's threat to 'counterattack thoroughly' is consistent with its established rhetorical posture, though analysts caution against reading it as an imminent operational signal. The exchange underscores the deepening fault lines in Northeast Asian security ahead of a period of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
Point of View
If reached, would mark a structural break from Japan's decades-long informal cap of roughly 1% of GDP on defence spending. What mainstream coverage underplays is that Pyongyang's invocation of World War II colonial history is not merely propaganda: it resonates across South Korea and China as well, complicating Tokyo's effort to build a regional security coalition. The Tomahawk acquisition is the sharpest irritant — a strike-capable weapon system that blurs the line between Japan's constitutional 'self-defence' posture and a nascent offensive capability. That ambiguity is precisely what Pyongyang is exploiting, and it is a tension Tokyo has not yet resolved publicly.
NationPress
22 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did North Korea condemn Japan's defence budget?
North Korea condemned Japan's defence budget because it views the record ¥8.9 trillion request as preparation for a 'war of aggression' rather than genuine self-defence. Pyongyang has historically objected to Japanese military expansion, citing the legacy of Japanese colonisation of the Korean peninsula during World War II.
How large is Japan's proposed defence budget?
Japan's defence ministry submitted a budget request of ¥8.9 trillion (approximately US$60 billion) for the next fiscal year. The final approved budget is expected to rise to around ¥10 trillion once negotiations conclude at year-end.
What did North Korea's state media specifically say?
North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) carried a Rodong Sinmun commentary stating that Japan's military spending 'will lead to an arms buildup aimed at completing preparations for a war of aggression.' It also warned that the international community 'will thoroughly counter it with united strength.'
Why did North Korea mention Japan's national debt?
North Korea pointed to Japan's record national debt of ¥1,343 trillion to argue that diverting public funds to defence spending is fiscally irresponsible and serves militaristic rather than peaceful ends. It called the spending a 'squandering of taxpayers' money.'
Is North Korea's threat of retaliation considered credible?
Analysts generally view Pyongyang's threat to 'counterattack thoroughly' as consistent with its established rhetorical posture on Japanese defence policy rather than an imminent operational signal. Such statements are a recurring feature of North Korean state media responses to Japanese and US military developments in the region.
