Actions

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe Vows 'Countermeasures' Against North Korea

According to the BBC, Abe promised during a press conference that his coalition would "dramatically show countermeasures" against Pyongyang.

By: Briana Koeneman

Posted at 12:16 PM, Oct 23, 2017

and last updated 2017-10-23 12:16:13-04

After his party won Japan's snap election Sunday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had some strong words for the North Korean government.

"I believe this election was about, firstly, the North Korean threat. You can even say the North Korean threat is the biggest threat ever," Abe told reporters.

According to the BBC, Abe promised during a press conference that his coalition would "dramatically show countermeasures" against Pyongyang.

And part of those measures could be a revision of Japan's constitution.

It currently includes Article 9, which renounces active military forces and "other war potential."

But Abe wants to add a constitutional amendment to legitimize the existence of the country's Self-Defense Forces and to include overseas operations in self-defense and in support of its allies.

Abe called for the snap election in September after the North fired a second ballistic missile over Japan in just one month. Pyongyang has also threatened to "sink" Japan into the sea.

The BBC says Abe will discuss countermeasures with U.S. President Donald Trump when he visits Japan next month.