Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued a strong warning to Japan on August 5, signaling that Pyongyang intends to develop additional military options in response to Tokyo’s evolving defense posture. Her statement followed Japan’s inaugural live-fire test of a U.S.-supplied Tomahawk cruise missile, which was conducted from the Aegis destroyer Chokai in the Pacific Ocean on July 29, 2026.
According to the North’s state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim characterized Japan as a “war criminal state” that is rapidly transforming into a “war state” by exploiting current global geopolitical tensions and inter-camp confrontations. She specifically pointed to the Tomahawk test and Japan’s participation in U.S.-led joint military exercises in the Philippines this past May as evidence that Tokyo’s pursuit of preemptive strike capabilities has entered the “stage of the actual act.”
Japan’s move toward long-range strike capabilities began in December 2022, when the government revised three key security documents to adopt a “counterstrike capability.” This policy shift, described as Japan’s most significant military expansion since World War II, effectively moved the nation away from its long-standing focus on a strictly defensive military stance. This policy change facilitated the purchase of 400 Tomahawk missiles from the United States, with deliveries commencing earlier this year.
Kim argued that these developments violate international law and Japan’s own constitution, which she asserted prohibits the possession of war potential and the right to belligerency. She claimed that by acquiring long-range strike weapons and deploying them across sea, underwater, and air domains, Japan is reorganizing its armed forces for “preemptive attack and overseas aggression.” Furthermore, she accused Tokyo of masking its ambitions for military dominance by labeling the defense measures of neighboring countries as threats.
The North Korean official also directed criticism at Washington, alleging that the United States has facilitated Japan’s military evolution by providing the missiles, modifying warships, and offering the necessary environment for the recent test-fire. “We will never remain a passive onlooker to the military evolution of Japan which may pose a grave threat to the security of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” Kim stated. While she confirmed that Pyongyang’s military leadership would prepare additional options to counter these developments, she did not disclose specific details regarding what those measures would entail.
