In an English-language commentary, the North's Korean Central News Agency said, "Japan's incitement of the bellicose atmosphere is a serious act of harassing peace to chill the peace atmosphere on the Korean peninsula and the region and strain the situation."

"It is the revelation of the crafty trick of the Japanese reactionaries to further ratchet up the tension on the Korean peninsula and meet their own interests," the commentary said.

The commentary also criticized Japan for moving to refit its helicopter carriers into aircraft carriers, but there was no mention of the US in the commentary.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump pledged to work to end the North's nuclear weapons program at a landmark summit in June, but there has been little progress on the details of how to meet that goal. Kim and Trump are seeking to hold another meeting early next year. (Yonhap)