North Korea Slams Japan's Defense Budget Increase
A Japan Research Institute researcher's commentary, carried by KCNA, criticizes Tokyo's plans to expand military spending.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Military
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North Korea's state news agency KCNA published a commentary by Park Hak-sung, a researcher at the Foreign Ministry's Japan Research Institute, criticizing Japan's planned defense budget increase. The piece was written on November 5 and reported by KCNA on November 6.
Why it matters
Japan plans to revise its three major security documents within this year, and the coming five-year defense budget could rise to 60 trillion-80 trillion yen. North Korea's public response signals how Pyongyang views Japan's military expansion.
The five-year defense budget starting in fiscal 2027 could reach 60 trillion-80 trillion yen, according to Nikkei Shimbun reporting. The final amount remains unset until the Defense Force Buildup Plan is finalized.
The players
Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)
KCNA is North Korea's official state news agency, which publishes government-approved reporting and commentary.
Park Hak-sung
Park Hak-sung is a researcher at the North Korean Foreign Ministry's Japan Research Institute who authored the commentary.
The details
Park's commentary, titled 'The New Militarist Forces in Japan's Attempt to Increase the Defense Budget Will Only Exacerbate the Regime Crisis and Security Crisis,' argues the spending increase will worsen security tensions. KCNA carried the piece the day after it was written.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Park Hak-sung's commentary is published.
November 6, 2026: KCNA reports on the commentary.
Fiscal 2027: The new five-year defense budget period begins.
Within 2026: Japan's government plans to revise its three major security documents.
Political Context
Japan's planned revision of its three major security documents continues a shift away from the postwar cap of spending at about one percent of GDP. North Korea's criticism reflects Pyongyang's longstanding framing of Japanese rearmament as a regional threat.
Japan's higher defense budget would shape national tax and spending priorities over the coming five years. Readers following regional security should watch whether the final plan matches the projected 60 trillion-80 trillion yen range.
The takeaway
Japan's defense spending plans are drawing sharp responses from neighboring states, and the final budget figure will be a key indicator of regional security direction. Tracking the revised security documents will clarify how far Tokyo intends to expand its military role.
What happens next
Japan's government is expected to revise its three major security documents within 2026, and the Defense Force Buildup Plan will set the five-year defense budget starting in fiscal 2027.
Further reading
For more on the military policy behind this story, browse the Military section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 조선일보.
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