ByREUTERS
Updated:

North Korea said Japan's ambition for possession of nuclear weapons should be "thoroughly curbed," state media KCNA reported on Sunday.

Japan showed the intention to possess nuclear weapons explicitly by saying it needs to review the three non-nuclear principles, KCNA said, citing a commentary of North Korea's foreign-policy official.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivers welcoming remarks at the leaders-level ''Central Asia plus Japan'' Dialogue (CA+JAD) summit, attended by the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, in Tokyo, Japan, on December 20, 2025.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivers welcoming remarks at the leaders-level ''Central Asia plus Japan'' Dialogue (CA+JAD) summit, attended by the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, in Tokyo, Japan, on December 20, 2025. (credit: David MAREUIL/Pool via REUTERS)

US influence over Japan's nuclear journey

Japan began making such comments actively as soon as the United States approved a request from South Korea for building a nuclear submarine, the media said.

In October, US President Donald Trump said he had given South Korea approval to build a nuclear-powered submarine after his visit to the Asian ally for a summit on trade deals with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

This is a developing story.