N. Korea slams Kishida’s call for nuclear-free world

North Korea on Wednesday criticized Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's recent speech advocating for a world without nuclear weapons, accusing Japan of pretending to be a victim of nuclear arms. During a memorial ceremony on Aug. 6 to mark the anniversary of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, Kishida emphasized Japan's commitment to the "three non-nuclear principles" of not possessing, producing or permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons. The prime minister said that it is Japan's duty to steadily work toward realizing a world without nuclear arms, noting that Japan is the only country to have experienced the use of nuclear weapons. Calling the speech "brazen," North Korea accused Japan of harboring a hidden agenda by promoting the outdated three non-nuclear principles. "The fact is, Japan, which has the complete capability to manufacture and possess nuclear weapons at any moment, now seeks a justification and space to legitimize this capability," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a commentary. North Korea also highlighted Japan's ambitions to acquire nuclear armament, pointing to Tokyo's efforts to strengthen defense cooperation within the AUKUS security partnership. The United States, Britain and Australia launched a security pact known as AUKUS in 2021 to counter China's assertiveness. Source: Yonhap News Agency