A North Korean newspaper sternly warned Wednesday that Japan's move to legislate a bill on North Korean human rights tantamounts to a "blatant declaration of war."

In its editorial, the paper criticized ultra-rightist resistant elements in Tokyo for following in the footsteps of the U.S. in seeking to legislate the Japanese version of a North Korean Human Rights Law.

The paper warned that Pyongyang considers Tokyo's move a war proclamation, and a tell-tale sign of Japan's lack of political will to normalize relations with the communist state. The paper also denounced Japan for trying to overthrow the North Korean regime in collaboration with Washington.