North Korea's state media has strongly criticized Japan's procurement of new U.S.-made fighter jets.

The North's Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) said on Tuesday that Japan's decision to acquire F-35B stealth fighter jets is a “reckless act aimed at realizing its ambitions to become a military power.”

The KCNA claimed that Japan is moving to expand its military operations to space and the cyber realm, citing Japan's rising defense budget and creation of new space operations and electronic warfare units. 

The North denounced the moves as a “pursuit of warfare” that disregards the state of affairs in the region, warning that Tokyo’s “reckless ambitions" will lead to its "miserable destruction.”

Japan remains the only member of the now-defunct six party talks that has not had a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. 

Back in May, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated a willingness to meet Kim “unconditionally” in a possible bid to restore dialogue between the two countries.

[Photo : YONHAP News]