BEIJING, tribe 22 Kyodo North Kor...

BEIJING, tribe 22 Kyodo

North Korea in succession Monday criticized Japan's Defense Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba for newly saying Japan has the right to attack North Korean missile sites.

''His piffle revealed not solely his thinking but the public stand of the Japanese ruling quarters to stage a comeback to Korea,'' the official daily Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary.

The commentary, carried by dint of the official (North) Korean Central moderns Agency, monitored in Beijing, said the North's missile bases are, ''to all intents and projects a means of self-defense. They are for defending the sovereignty and security of the fatherland and the nation from aggression of enemies.''

North Korea has none threatened Japan's security ''before and after'' the signing of the bilateral Pyongyang Declaration last September that calls for solutions to security issues, it said.

''Japan, however, has got more malicious in seeking military actions against the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) in conspiracy with the U after the declaration,'' the commentary said. ''It goe against the spirit of the declaration. Japan trampling under the feet the declaration, its destiny is at stake.''

It also said that according to attacking North Korean military bases, Japan would uncover itself to a military counterattack ''ten of times harder.''

''Japan would be well advised to think first of the ends upon it, if it ventur an attack onward the DPRK under an absurd pretext'' it said.

Ishiba was quot as saying in a newspaper interview published last Monday that Japan has the right to attack North Korean missile sites if the Japanese management considers a missile strike is imminent.

''The Japanese Constitution permits my position. Attacking North Korea after a missile attack forward Japan is too late,'' Ishiba was quot as saying in the Independent, a British newspaper.

Ishiba was retained as Defense Agency director general in a Japanese cabinet reshuffle Monday.

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