Kim Yo Jong warns of military response to Japan’s first Tomahawk test

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned on August 5 that Pyongyang would pursue "additional military options" against Japan, accusing Tokyo of transforming into a "war state" after its first-ever test-firing of a U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile.

North Korea's Warning

In a statement published by the Korean Central News Agency, Kim said that "Japan, a war criminal state, is accelerating its transformation into a war state," and declared that North Korea's armed forces "will set up additional military options which are obviously due to Japan's transformation."kurdistan24+1

Kim cited the Tomahawk test launch and Japan's participation in U.S.-led military exercises in the Philippines in May as evidence that Tokyo's pursuit of preemptive strike capability had entered "the stage of the actual act." She blamed Washington for enabling the buildup, stating that "the U.S. is behind such dangerous military moves of Japan" by supplying missiles, modifying warships, and providing conditions for the test.thediplomat+1

"We will never remain a passive onlooker to the military evolution of Japan which may pose a grave threat," Kim said, adding that Japan should be made to "regret" its military moves.geo+1

Japan's First Tomahawk Test

The statement followed Japan's first live-fire test of a Tomahawk cruise missile on July 28, when the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Aegis destroyer Chokai launched the missile in the Pacific Ocean with U.S. Navy support. Japan plans to acquire 400 Tomahawk missiles by the end of fiscal 2027 as part of a broader shift away from its postwar pacifist posture adopted after World War II.sedaily+2

The test came one day after Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the military must strengthen capabilities with a "sense of urgency and crisis," following the release of Japan's 2026 defense white paper warning of growing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.ibtimes+1

Japan's Ministry of Defense defended its military policy, stating that "our defense capabilities remain the bare minimum and are not meant to threaten other countries" and are "strictly based on self-defense and within the framework of our pacifist Constitution."kurdistan24

Regional Tensions

Japan raised military expenditure by 9.7 percent to $62.2 billion in 2025, equivalent to 1.4 percent of GDP — its highest share since 1958. China, North Korea's closest ally, has also voiced concern over what it describes as a resurgence of Japanese militarism, with relations between Beijing and Tokyo deteriorating further since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that Chinese military action against Taiwan could warrant a response from Japan's armed forces.turkiyetoday+2

Kim did not disclose details about the "additional military options" Pyongyang is considering, though analysts quoted by NBC News said the statements appear aimed at portraying Japan's modernization as a direct security threat to justify North Korea's own weapons development.geo