{
  "id": 2478563,
  "title": "N. Korea denounces Japan's record defense budget as 'war preparation'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/n-korea-denounces-japans-record-defense-budget-as-war-preparation-2478563",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-22T02:37:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20260822/n-korea-denounces-japans-record-defense-budget-as-war-preparation"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "North Korea has harshly criticized Japan's intention to set a new record high defense budget for the next fiscal year. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted a commentary from Rodong Sinmun, the country's most-read newspaper, describing the move as a preparation for a \"war of aggression.\" The North Korean government threatened to counterattack with \"thoroughly united strength.\" Japan's defense ministry had set its budget request for the next fiscal year at a staggering 8.9 trillion yen, or approximately $60 billion, with the final budget expected to reach around 10 trillion yen by year-end, according to foreign media reports. The North deemed this expansion of the war budget as a dangerous move that would cause turmoil in the region and the world. They emphasized that the military buildup aimed to complete preparations for a war of aggression and claimed that the international community would never tolerate such an act by descendants of a war-criminal state.",
  "summary": "North Korea on Saturday condemned Japan's plan to set a record-high defense budget for next year, calling it a move to prepare for a \"war of aggression\" and threatening to \"counterattack thoroughly\" with united strength. The condemnation came as Japan's defense ministry on Wednesday set its budget request for the next fiscal year at a record 8.9 trillion yen ($60 billion), with the final budget…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "N. Korea denounces Japan's record defense budget as 'war preparation'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/n-korea-denounces-japans-record-defense-budget-as-war-preparation",
        "published": "2026-08-22T00:57:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "N. Korea denounces Japan's record defense budget as 'war preparation'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/n-korea-denounces-japans-record-defense-budget-as-war-preparation-2476826",
        "published": "2026-08-22T02:27:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}