The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday criticized Japan for amending its pacifist constitution, which it said will allow Japan to launch a war of aggression.

In a signed commentary carried by Minju Joson, an official cabinet newspaper, the DPRK said that it is strongly opposed to Japan's move to amend the constitution, calling it a very dangerous development.

"There is no reason for Japan to rewrite the existing constitution if it wants to fully settle its crime-woven past," said the newspaper.

"What Japan seeks is to replace the Pacifist Constitution, a hurdle lying in its way, by a new war constitution and launch militarist aggression overseas," it added.

The critical remarks came after the Japanese Defense Agency was formally upgraded to a full ministry on Tuesday morning in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and new Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma.

The DPRK always lashes out at any Japan's military expansion. Under its colonial rule, Japan kidnapped 8.4 million slave workers from Korea. It also abducted 200,000 Korean women to serve in the Japanese army as sex slaves during the Second World War.

Source: Xinhua