N Korea says it will ignore Japan until it halts military buildup, drills

Unless Tokyo halts hostilities?

Excuse me?

Last time I checked, it was North Korea that was lobbying missiles towards Japan, and it was North Korea that has always portrayed Japan in a negative manner.

The only reason why Japan had those drills was precisely because of North Korea's aggression.

I'm sure that was pretty obvious, even to those here and elsewhere that typically have an anti-Japan viewpoint?

Indeed complete nonsense from the NK we all know. As mentioned it is North Korea that has unilaterally provoked Japan with hostilities with the overhead missiles, necessitating defensive drills. The "military build up" has been to defend against such hostility, not "attack North Korea" which is prohibited by Article 9. Maybe the North Koreans should read it sometime and learn something. But....the complaint about "military buildup" suggests to me that this whole KIm Jong Un show has been orchestrated by China from the get go.

Let China and S Korea deal with NK. It will be a real pain in the backside for years to come. Meanwhile, North Korea has nothing at all to offer Japan. Why bother placating this dictator? When North Koreans are finally free, they will ask why SK and the US were so kind to their tormentor. At least Japan will sidestep that moral quagmire.

Typical Kim Jong Un, except now he's become a puppet and the ventriloquist is China's Xi.

10 years later, China is at least three times more thanks for Abe's policy to ignore China's one belt and one road

No.

Thanks to china's constant stealing of other people's ideas and mass producing them as cheap china-nese goods.

I'm sure N. Korea has their beef with Japan just as all of the other Asian nations do, but if you just replace the countries N. Korea with China in the state agency piece and one can see who is really behind the statements.

"should...result...(in)Japan (being) passed over" "Japan should stop.." "...scolded Abe's government..."

This does not sound like a considered hardline DPRK position - more like seat warming by the propaganda agency. In fact an intellibgence analyst might even interpret this as being a positive sign from the DPRK.

Yep, the narrative changes real quickly when you are a nation of mind control experiments.. Wasn’t it North Korean missiles being launched over japan until like, yesterday? You ain’t legitimized that easy Kimchan. There’s a thing we call the free world, may wanna remember that. China too while we are at it.

Please ignore Japan, no missiles no aggressive actions just leave us alone.

"Japan should stop its large-scale military drills and the boosting of its military capacity aimed at attacking (Korea), scrap its hostile policy against us, break with the past and show its sincerity towards peace," it said in a commentary.

Boosting Japans military capacity is not aimed at North Korea, its aimed at deterring China and everybody knows that. America and South Korea will take care of North Korea if they start hostilities again.

In 2002, North Korea admitted that it kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s, and five returned home.

So we are talking about 7 or 8 Japanese citizens.

Clearly it is not worth sacrificing Japans military capabilities and the maintenance of those abilities for the sake of 7 or 8 Japanese citizens that are, in all likelihood, dead.

Abe should continue as he is in working to overturn Article 9. Its a relic of American occupation. If North Korea don't want to play ball, they get no money or humanitarian assistance whatsoever. Japan saves money. Most Japanese would be happy with that result no doubt.

This is clearly a ploy to extort concessions in exchange for the possible return of people that NK illegally abducted in the first place.

The smart move would be for Japan to ignore NK right back. Dictators like Kim do not deserve a response.

Japan should walk away from this one and totally ignore the North. They threatened Japan and acted with hostility. Now they want Japan to abandon its military defenses. North Korea cannot be trusted.

What happened?

Fat boy Kim and his china sponsored missiles flying over Japan and towards Guam is "what happened".

It is aimed at North Korea. Japan's cruise missiles are not aimed at China, it is aimed at North Korea.

Additionally, Japan provides bases and logistics for US military, that itself is an hostile act.

I would imagine they are aimed at both. Cruise missiles are just one small element of Japans military as well.

Yes maintaining the U.S military in Japan would be seen as hostile.......and necessary unfortunately.

All three of Japans neighbours hover between positive and hostile attitudes to Japan on a constant basis which seems to change with whatever political winds are in the air on any given day and whether any South Korean, Chinese or Japanese nationalists have been stirring up history.

Japan should always work towards peace but be prepared for the worst. There are no other sensible options.

Actually those who didn't return are dead.

The problem is that Abe san is claiming North Korea abducted far more than 13, which is strongly denied by North Korea.

North Korea can't raise dead people and produce people who went missing in Japan.

True, there are clearly different perceptions about what needs to be done surrounding a resolution of this issue. Who is right or wrong is impossible to know. For a start, these abductions were 30 years ago now.

Maybe Abe is privvy to a lot more proof regarding a greater number of abductions than we know? I dont know tbh. For me, its this insistence that Japan should bend to North Korea's will regarding their military that I reject.

And North Korea continues to test its ballistic missiles toward Japan. Ballistic missiles are legal under international law, you know that right?

Wrong, their missile tests are illegal under U.N resolutions. That is well established.

Most Japanese would not be happy to hear the air raid alarms go off every week. And the US won't save Japan because the US only cares about ICBMs capable of striking US mainland, not the short-range ballistic missiles aimed at Tokyo.

There can be no peace in North Asia if North Korea starts testing and firing missiles again. The U.S would be under enormous pressure from allies to reset relations with North Korea and take a more hostile approach. If they failed to do that, Japan immediately moves towards massive military buildup, Article 9 gone for sure. They could be aided by a European defense industry looking to expand exports and partners beyond the U.S. This is now seen as critical in Europe. Its really crazy to think that North Korea can just keep firing missiles. Tokyo can use its economic weight to keep allies in line. Its still the third largest economy on the planet for a start.

Japan can't afford to be ignored, by NK, unless Japan gives up the privilege of being a Northeast Asia nation, and her 3000 years civilization. There will be no Japan, at least no happiness of Japan if Japan's policy is to be against Northeast Asian members.

Relations between Japan and South Korea/China are improving slowly. Trade is growing. And relations will continue to improve providing their are no hostile actions between any of those countries. Its seems highly unlikely to me that Japan would be an instigator of any hostile act.

Its a common deflection tactic. Blame others so your people don't see how bad the administration is...g-d this sounds familiar.

Hey NK, I guess you missed this:

https://japantoday.com/category/politics/japan-to-halt-missile-attack-drills-after-trump-kim-summit-kyodo

You turn!

And North Korea is back to normal. That didn't take long.

I hope everyone who has had the wool pulled over its eyes wakes up and realizes that North Korea with little fat boy at the helm should never be trusted until their military is devoid of nukes and their claimed WMDs.

A nutter doesn't change its stripes.

Silence treatment ! Ouch !

For the LDP, that's worse than missiles !

Matt Hartwell, Japan's relationship with neighbours changed more than slowly. 10 years ago, Japan's GDP is more than China's. 10 years later, China is at least three times more, thanks for Abe's policy to ignore China's one belt and one road.

Are you comparing a market of 130 million with 1.5 billion and expecting Japan to keep up with that somehow?

Look at Japans GDP per capita for a more accurate indication of where the two are at in terms of economic basics. Also look at Japans aging society.

Im not sure how Japan gains from OBOR. Maybe it does. I haven't read any rock solid research indicating it would or it wouldn't. Japan already has extensive trade networks in Asia and it is one of the heaviest investors and has been for a very long time.

OBOR is a project designed primarily to benefit Chinese exporters. That is, in large part, its purpose.

WHEN PIGS FLY!

Matt Hartwell, obvious, you are talking something that you really don't know. OBOR is a program to share opportunities. You are not forced to join but you are stupid if you are not. Abe used to reject the OBOR, but changed his mind recently after Akie shared the idea with him that Japan would be better off to be a part of it.

I dont' see why its stupid to not join it. Depends on your infrastructure priorities. If they don't align with OBOR why would contribute towards it? Maybe its better to contribute towards India's Act East? Maybe its better to go with more bilateral arrangements between countries? So far the record on OBOR is hit and miss. Recent examples in Vietnam are good examples. Doubts in Malaysia and Indonesia as well. Pakistan is overstretched imo. I'm not saying don't join it, but I am also don't join it for the sake of it. Everyone has to follow what is in their national interest and be very careful about what they sign up too, in terms of governance standards, quality (see Vietnam) and financing arrangements.

Japan has to get along with NK and apologize for what happened many years ago. There is no moral way to get around it. Northeast Asians are one big family, we used to be and will always be. The sooner, the better. That is my idea and every can steal it.

Japan can apologize at any time. I don't have a problem with that. But it shouldn't do anything to windback its military until the threat of a nuclear North Korea is eliminated and its relationship with China improves substantially from where it is now, including a bilateral agreement on the disputed islands.

If Abe san had such proof then he would have revealed them to Japanese people to discredit North Koreans and build support around his position. 

Fair call. He should.

Ballistic missiles themselves are legal weapons, and the UN sanctions are tied to nuclear testings, not the testing of ballistic missiles themselves. When the sanctions are lifted, North Korea is free to resume testing. As long as NK's ballistic missiles do not fall within 10 nm of Japan's coastline(EEZs don't count), NK is free to do it every week and Japanese will have to live with weekly air raid sirens.

Conventional ballistic missiles or nuclear? The U.N has been extremely clear that North Korea's ballistic missile program is illegal. If sanctions are lifted and missile tests resume, North Korea can look forward to be driven back into economic isolation the very next day. All America, Europe and Japan have to do is say you trade with North Korea and you don't trade with us and just watch every country on the planet, including China, fall into line. I would not be surprised that if they did that, war plans would move forward. The world is growing very tired of North Korea. The thought would be we must finish this once and for all.

Surely there can be peace as long as missiles are fired toward Japan, because not even the US would care.

I think they would care, but even if they don't, all it does is move Japan further along the path towards out and out militarization, including nuclear. Maybe that's what the U.S wants? Trump has said previously that he would be happy to see South Korea and Japan go nuclear and even supply them with weapons. I recall him saying that back when he was threatening North Korea etc. Maybe thats what he wants? A nuclear South Korea and Japan so the U.S can withdraw? I have confidence that Japan will have the full backing of the international community regardless of what happens.

What allies? The ROK doesn't care. Taiwan doesn't care. Australia doesn't care. China and Russia certainly don't care. Trump doesn't care as long as NK gives up ICBMs capable of striking the US mainland. No one but Japan cares about short-range ballistic missiles flying toward Japan.

ROK will care if Japan goes nuclear. Taiwan is not really part of this equation. Australia will support Japan against any N.Korea aggression. China and Russia will know that Japan will go nuclear and build up its conventional arms. Probably not the best result for China and Russia for the sake of 25 million very poor North Koreans. If Japan is abandoned by the U.S etc, North Asia gets less safe because ultimately Japan will do whatever has to do to protect itself.

What economic weight? This isn't the 1990s anymore.

Do I really have to explain this? A first world developed country with a GDP of $5 trillion versus a country of 25 million poor with a GDP of next to nothing. Who do you think countries are going to chose to support?

Do not meddle in what's happening to North Korea. Leave it all to negotiations by North Korea, South Korea, U.S. and China. Abduction issue is a small problem. Unless we behave sagaciously, North Korea will backfire to Japan. They have a lot to say against Japan for what we did in the past.

apparently, ... shinzo abe has more steel in his spine than donald trump.

zichiToday 12:35 pm JSTNorth Korea will have to give up its nukes, missiles, chemical agents and gases, and drones. It will have to free all of it 100,000+ prisoners from its gulags. It will have to hold democratic elections. Those are only the beginning.

trump and his girlfriend pompeo (their couple's name is TrumPeo) have  made it clear that they're not interested in human rights and regime change. these were pre-conditions the DPRK set out as part of their acceptance of america's invitation to the spectacle which masqueraded as a summit. i wonder how s. korean president jae-in moon explained that to the living relatives of those seperated from their families by the DMZ.

Absolutely not.

Absolutely guaranteed

Once again, Americans and Europeans don't care about North Korean ballistic missiles as long as they don't reach the US and EU.

I guess we will find out if North Korea starts there testing again. Bring it on.

Duh, Japan was already on the path of remilitarization citing China threats.

Sure and any hostile acts by North Korea just promote the process faster and further

Of course, so that Trump can pull US troops out of Japan and save money according to him.

That's what I said.

Can Japan really survive the international sanction for having nukes?

If North Korea is still a nuclear state and both China and South Korea still demonstrate hostile attitudes to Japan, the West will do nothing to stop Japan going nuclear. China may cancel trade etc, but the West will do nothing. In fact, they would probably aid the process under the table.

If Japan somehow survives the sanction and keep nukes, then the ROK will follow the same path. Unlike Japan, the ROK also has the world's densest missile defense shield, so they would last longer than Japan in any hypothetical nuclear war.

I agree South Korea will follow. In terms of the missile defense shield, perhaps South Korea lasts longer. Its all a bit mute really. There wont be much left of North Asia, period. Is this missile shield U.S supplied btw? Japans military buildup would almost certainly involve more funding for missile defense.

NK has sugar daddies called China and the ROK, so no problem.

China yes. The ROK could be targeted with Western sanctions. If the West has to decide between supporting South Korea or Japan, they will choose Japan. Its a numbers game. Japans economy is double that of ROK, population is double, Japans investments overseas are multiples of ROK. Japanese Inc is far more important to the economies of other countries than South Korea Inc.

China and the ROK will choose NK over Japan, of course.

Im not convinced China would support N.Korea if it meant giving themselves serious trouble with the rest of the world. We are talking about a market of just 25 million people. But say China does do that. The rest of the world, including all of Europe, the U.S, Australia, Canada, U.K, South America. S.E Asia and on and on will support Japan for all the economic reasons I have cited, not to mention that Japan is a developed Asian democracy...

Japan does not have the material to build an atomic bomb

This is factual incorrect. Japan has huge supplies of enriched plutonium and Trump is asking Japan to reduce it on behalf of NK. Trump is helping NK make Japan changes its nuclear policies.

US demands Japan reduce its plutonium stockpiles

Trump-Kim summit raises questions about Tokyo's nuclear exemption

BeowulfOkamiToday 10:37 am JSTWhat happened?

Fat boy Kim and his china sponsored missiles flying over Japan and towards Guam is "what happened".

sounds like a good remix of Fatboy Slim's "In Heaven" #fatboykimisfugginginheaven

@BeowulfOkami

Fat boy Kim and his china sponsored missiles flying over Japan and towards Guam is "what happened".

And you saw these missiles did you?

Or are you just another sheep who believes everything the media tells you?

Wake up dude.

@Nasubi

That's interesting, do you have any links?

Here you go. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rok/kamd.htm

They have a triple layer missile defense system called KAMD with 1,000 interceptors, where each incoming ballistic missile is given three interception attempts by different missiles, L-SAM(Korean), M-SAM(Korean), and PAC-3(American). No other nation has such triple layer missile defense system like this.

This is augmented by 5,000 ballistic and cruise missiles.

@zichi

Japan is not a signature of the NPT.

Huh? 1976. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parties_to_the_Treaty_on_the_Non-Proliferation_of_Nuclear_Weapons

Zichi:

With a picture of emperor akihito hanging too. That would be funny in north Korea...except for the part where they and the portraits disappear.

Japan has had escalated ideas of it's importance for some years now.

Reality check has come.

@MattHartwell

Conventional ballistic missiles or nuclear?

Conventional

The U.N has been extremely clear that North Korea's ballistic missile program is illegal.

Again, ballistic missiles are NOT ILLEGAL WEAPONS. NK ballistic missile program is sanctions as a part of the nuclear weapons program sanction. BTW, North Korean seafood is under UN sanctions same as ballistic missiles, so is seafood illegal?

If sanctions are lifted and missile tests resume, North Korea can look forward to be driven back into economic isolation the very next day.

Absolutely not.

All America, Europe and Japan have to do is say you trade with North Korea and you don't trade with us

Once again, Americans and Europeans don't care about North Korean ballistic missiles as long as they don't reach the US and EU.

all it does is move Japan further along the path towards out and out militarization,

Duh, Japan was already on the path of remilitarization citing China threats.

Maybe that's what the U.S wants? 

Of course, so that Trump can pull US troops out of Japan and save money according to him.

ROK will care if Japan goes nuclear.

Can Japan really survive the international sanction for having nukes?

If Japan somehow survives the sanction and keep nukes, then the ROK will follow the same path. Unlike Japan, the ROK also has the world's densest missile defense shield, so they would last longer than Japan in any hypothetical nuclear war.

Do I really have to explain this? A first world developed country with a GDP of $5 trillion versus a country of 25 million poor with a GDP of next to nothing. 

NK has sugar daddies called China and the ROK, so no problem.

Who do you think countries are going to chose to support?

China and the ROK will choose NK over Japan, of course.

@MarkHartwell

Absolutely guaranteed

Absolutely not guaranteed.

I guess we will find out if North Korea starts there testing again. Bring it on.

Based on past history, nothing happens when NK's missiles land near Japan.

If North Korea is still a nuclear state and both China and South Korea still demonstrate hostile attitudes to Japan, the West will do nothing to stop Japan going nuclear.

So you have never heard of the NPT? The NPT tolerates no exception because that would create second and third NPT violators. The only way Japan can build a nuke is either 1. Japan's nuked. or 2. Japan intercepted a nuclear missile.

China may cancel trade etc, but the West will do nothing.

Japan's biggest trading nation is China.

In terms of the missile defense shield, perhaps South Korea lasts longer. Its all a bit mute really.

They will. The KAMD was built to fight an apocalyptic nuclear war so a nuclear war with Japan is nothing.

Is this missile shield U.S supplied btw?

No, this is Korean made, with the S-400 technology supplied/stolen from Russia during the 1990s during the chaos. It is so good Russia uses a variant for its own air defense. The ROK is self-reliant as far as missiles of all kinds are concerned. First two layers are operational and the third and the final layer, Korea's THAAD class interceptor L-SAM, enters service in 2022.

http://militarywatchmagazine.com/read.php?my_data=70465

https://www.rbth.com/blogs/continental_drift/2016/06/28/s-400-technology-helps-seoul-blunt-pyongyang-threat_606533

https://www.army-technology.com/projects/s-350e-vityaz-50r6-surface-to-air-defence-missile-system/

Japans military buildup would almost certainly involve more funding for missile defense.

Japan chose the Aegis Ashore over the THAAD due to lack of funding. Japan also abandoned the development of its own stealth fighter due to lack of funding, while the Korean one is rolling out in three years.

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201803050037.html

Japan backs out of plan to develop fighter jet on its own

China yes. The ROK could be targeted with Western sanctions.

Huh?

Im not convinced China would support N.Korea if it meant giving themselves serious trouble with the rest of the world.

China isn't in any trouble right now, so why would they be in the future?

We are talking about a market of just 25 million people.

Is money all that is in your mind? China is doing whatever it can do to keep the NK regime alive, because China would be facing US bases across the Yalu river if the NK regime collapsed.

 A respected Japan is a peaceful Japan, as simple as that.

I know many folk who say this. Myself included.

What happened?

Japan has enjoyed decades of peace because they have observed a pacifist attitude.

Why the change? It wasn't broken and didn't need fixing the way it was.

Man, until things between Trump and NK sour, NK has Japan by the short hairs.

Matt Hartwell, obvious, you are talking something that you really don't know. OBOR is a program to share opportunities. You are not forced to join but you are stupid if you are not. Abe used to reject the OBOR, but changed his mind recently after Akie shared the idea with him that Japan would be better off to be a part of it.

@Matt Harwell

Maybe Abe is privvy to a lot more proof regarding a greater number of abductions than we know?

If Abe san had such proof then he would have revealed them to Japanese people to discredit North Koreans and build support around his position. 

Wrong, their missile tests are illegal under U.N resolutions. That is well established.

Ballistic missiles themselves are legal weapons, and the UN sanctions are tied to nuclear testings, not the testing of ballistic missiles themselves. When the sanctions are lifted, North Korea is free to resume testing. As long as NK's ballistic missiles do not fall within 10 nm of Japan's coastline(EEZs don't count), NK is free to do it every week and Japanese will have to live with weekly air raid sirens.

There can be no peace in North Asia if North Korea starts testing and firing missiles again.

Surely there can be peace as long as missiles are fired toward Japan, because not even the US would care.

The U.S would be under enormous pressure from allies to reset relations with North Korea

What allies? The ROK doesn't care. Taiwan doesn't care. Australia doesn't care. China and Russia certainly don't care. Trump doesn't care as long as NK gives up ICBMs capable of striking the US mainland. No one but Japan cares about short-range ballistic missiles flying toward Japan.

Its really crazy to think that North Korea can just keep firing missiles.

They can. It is really crazy to think that Japan can demand North Korea to not test an internationally legal weapon.

Tokyo can use its economic weight to keep allies in line.

What economic weight? This isn't the 1990s anymore.

zichi, Japan can have anything if she likes but that is not Japan of today. Things that hurt others can also hurt Japan. Abe is the best example of it.

I think North Korea suspects Japan won't have article 9 for too much longer.

Precisely. After all, that's what the LDP has been actively changing for the last few years.

Last time I checked, it was North Korea that was lobbying missiles towards Japan, and it was North Korea that has always portrayed Japan in a negative manner.

NK is no angel. But if you look back through history, you will see that Japan, being the larger and more militaristic nation of the two - you will see that Japan has invaded, colonized, brutalized and enslaved the Korean people. Historically, Japan has always been the aggressor.

Article 9 did put a muzzle on Japan, but looks like it will come off. While the chance was there, societal changes to ensure that Japan would not militarize again were not made.

Japan is still far more well-armed and potentially dangerous than Korea. If you look at things from NK's point of view (taking embargoes and the bigger picture into account), they have more reasons to mitigate the risk than Japan.

Not saying it's OK to be armed (and it seems NK is willing to de-arm if they feel safe to do so). But Japan made its bed with NK. Perhaps now they have to sleep in it, as NK continues to embarrass and politically outmaneuver Japan.

That's sad to the abductee's family with less hope to see this Mr. Abe and his LDP can't go with the flow. Mr. Abe, please think about the abductee's family of pacifist Japan and stop your party pooper actions.

Japan has to get along with NK and apologize for what happened many years ago. There is no moral way to get around it. Northeast Asians are one big family, we used to be and will always be. The sooner, the better. That is my idea and every can steal it.

Is it difficult for the world to choose between China and Japan ? It is so obvious that even mad cows know where to sell themselves. That is why Abe has to abandon his anti-China policy, for the sake of Japanese people and Japan's honor. Again, that is Akie's idea and everyone can steal it.

Matt Hartwell, Japan's relationship with neighbours changed more than slowly. 10 years ago, Japan's GDP is more than China's. 10 years later, China is at least three times more, thanks for Abe's policy to ignore China's one belt and one road.

I am with DPRK on this I'd never let revisionist Japan off the hook

Japan is absolutely marginalized in Northeast Asia, admit it or not. A respected Japan is a peaceful Japan, as simple as that.

@commanteer

Meanwhile, North Korea has nothing at all to offer Japan.

Suspension of missile test toward Japan, which is legal under international law as long as it doesn't enter Japan's terrestrial water?

Already spent pension funds on obsolute american weapons, and abe wants to get support for his dictatorship...so no.

@Matt Hartwell

Boosting Japans military capacity is not aimed at North Korea

It is aimed at North Korea. Japan's cruise missiles are not aimed at China, it is aimed at North Korea.

Additionally, Japan provides bases and logistics for US military, that itself is an hostile act.

So we are talking about 7 or 8 Japanese citizens.

Actually those who didn't return are dead.

The problem is that Abe san is claiming North Korea abducted far more than 13, which is strongly denied by North Korea.

If North Korea don't want to play ball, they get no money or humanitarian assistance whatsoever. 

North Korea can't raise dead people and produce people who went missing in Japan.

Japan saves money.

And North Korea continues to test its ballistic missiles toward Japan. Ballistic missiles are legal under international law, you know that right?

Most Japanese would be happy with that result no doubt.

Most Japanese would not be happy to hear the air raid alarms go off every week. And the US won't save Japan because the US only cares about ICBMs capable of striking US mainland, not the short-range ballistic missiles aimed at Tokyo.

I don’t remember NK shooting missiles AT Japan. I do remember shooting many OVER Japan, in international, no man’s land. Is this what all the fuss is about?