N. Korea slams revised U.S.-Japan defense pact

North Korea Friday denounced a revised U.S.-Japan defense pact, saying it will spark a regional arms race and help revive Japan's past militarism.

On Monday, Washington and Tokyo unveiled the upgraded version of their 1978 defense cooperation guidelines for the first time in 18 years. The move will allow Japan to play a bigger military role by helping the U.S. and other allies if they come under attack.

North Korea rebuked the two countries for revising the new pact, claiming that the defense guidelines are expected to intensify the arms race in Northeast Asia.

"The strengthened U.S.-Japan military alliance will inevitably harass the stability of Northeast Asia, foment confrontation and friction in the region and spark off disputes and arms race," a spokesman at the North's Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The KCNA slammed the U.S. for insisting that the revision is aimed at coping with evolving threats from North Korea.

"But it is the ulterior objective of the U.S. to lessen its heavy burden of military spending with the strengthened role of (Japan's) self-defense forces ... and contain its rivals in Eurasia by force of arms and maintain its hegemonic position," it said.

The spokesman added that Washington has "fanned up" Japan's revival of militarism despite global concerns over Tokyo's attempt to deny wartime atrocities.

He said that North Korea will beef up its defense capabilities by raising its nuclear deterrent to counter threats from the U.S. (Yonhap)