North Korea threatens new military options against Japan after first Tomahawk test

North Korea has said it will take what it called "new military choices" against Japan after Tokyo carried out its first test of a Tomahawk missile. The warning was issued on Tuesday by Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to the state news agency. Her comments came after the Japanese destroyer Chokai fired the missile in the Pacific Ocean.

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Kim also referred to Japanese participation in a US-led military exercise in the Philippines in May, as well as other missile tests conducted by Tokyo. In her statement, she accused Japan of trying to conceal an ambition to become a military power. She said North Korea would "establish additional military options" in response, but did not specify what those measures might be.

The Japanese test marked the first time the country has fired a Tomahawk missile. Japan plans to spend about US$1 billion to buy 400 Tomahawks by March 2028, part of a broader effort to strengthen its long-range strike capability. The missile, developed in the United States and in service since the 1980s, flies low enough to make detection more difficult, which has made it a significant weapon in modern naval arsenals.

The exchange adds to already strained security ties in northeast Asia, where North Korea has repeatedly objected to Japanese military modernisation and to closer defence cooperation with the United States. Tokyo has been expanding its defence posture in response to regional threats, while Pyongyang has continued to frame such moves as hostile. The latest remarks show how missile procurement and joint drills are now being treated by North Korea as part of a wider strategic challenge.

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The statement also highlights the role of the United States in the regional dispute, since Kim Yo-jong specifically linked Japan's actions to US-led military activity. That framing is consistent with North Korea's long-standing criticism of allied exercises in the region. It also suggests that future North Korean messaging may continue to focus on both Japanese and American military cooperation rather than on Japan alone.

It remains unclear what form any new North Korean military response could take, or whether the warning will be followed by concrete action. No timetable or operational details were given in the statement. The next developments to watch are whether Pyongyang follows up with a weapons test, further rhetoric, or other military signalling, and how Tokyo and Washington respond.

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