Muscat: North Korea today denounced Japan’s recent joint naval exercise with the United States off the coast of the Philippines: The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) issued the criticism, citing a joint naval exercise conducted by Japan, the US, and France earlier this month in waters near the Philippines. This exercise involved American and French aircraft carriers and a Japanese warship, which North Korea claims is an attempt to revive militaristic invasion ambitions.

According to Oman News Agency, North Korea accused Tokyo of threatening the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region and creating a new conflict structure. The participation of Japanese forces in distant locations, unrelated to a defense-only posture, alongside foreign forces, was highlighted as evidence that “militarists’ overseas invasion ambitions have entered an implementation state,” the KCNA stated.

The exercises have been a point of contention, with North Korea viewing them as provocative actions that disrupt regional stability. The presence of aircraft carriers and a joint military collaboration in sensitive areas has been interpreted by North Korea as a direct challenge to its security and a potential precursor to conflict escalation in the region.