Kim Yo Jong warns Japan of 'additional military options' over missile tests

North Korean official Kim Yo Jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong Un, warned on Wednesday that Pyongyang would adopt "additional military options" in response to Japan's recent acquisition of long-range strike capabilities. The statement, carried by state media KCNA, came after Japan test-fired a U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile.

In her statement, Ms. Kim accused Japan of moving beyond a defensive posture and transforming its armed forces into a force capable of pre-emptive attacks and overseas military operations. She cited the Tomahawk test from the Aegis destroyer Chokai in the Pacific Ocean, along with other missile tests and Japan's participation in U.S.-led joint military exercises in the Philippines in May.

"We should make it regret," Ms. Kim said, without elaborating on what steps North Korea might take. She added that Japan's security would be exposed to "greater danger" as a result of its actions.

Ms. Kim also blamed the United States for enabling Japan's military buildup, saying Washington "is behind such dangerous military moves of Japan." She said the supply of Tomahawk missiles, modifications to vessels for their operation, and support for missile tests had helped Japan develop capabilities that now place North Korea and neighbouring countries within range.

This statement is the latest in a series of North Korean commentaries criticising security cooperation among the United States, South Korea and Japan. Since July, KCNA has published at least six editorials and commentaries denouncing these joint military activities as threatening regional security and raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Analysts said Pyongyang is seeking to portray Japan's military modernisation as a direct security threat to justify its own weapons development. Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said Ms. Kim's comments attempt to frame Tokyo's steps as part of a broader U.S. effort to strengthen its proxy military capabilities to counter North Korea. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, suggested the messaging could lay the groundwork for possible future military demonstrations, including missile tests or displays of undersea strike capabilities.

Japan's move to acquire Tomahawk missiles is part of a significant defence buildup announced under its national security strategy, which was revised in 2022. The missile test from the Chokai took place in the Pacific Ocean earlier this year, and Tokyo has said it is enhancing its deterrence capabilities in response to regional security challenges.

Kim Yo Jong, who heads the record-keeping department of North Korea's ruling party, has been a prominent voice in issuing statements on foreign policy and national security. Her remarks are seen as an authoritative signal of Pyongyang's official stance on matters involving regional adversaries.