Kim promised to punish those responsible for the “catastrophic failure” after the naval vessel partially capsized during a ceremony attended by the leader.

Japan is scheduled to conduct its first-ever domestic surface-to-ship missile launching drill in June - Anadolu Ajansı

Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has met with relatives of Japanese citizens who were abducted by North Korea. He pledged to make his utmost efforts to resolve the issue as soon as possible while gaining cooperation from the international community.

The remarks came after The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House is considering pulling out roughly 4,500 troops and relocating them.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics agreed Monday to upgrade their nations' ties to a

Pyongyang has carried out frequent missile tests in violation of United Nations Security Council sanctions and continues to build out its nuclear weapons program. The Kim Jong Un regime insists both are necessary for self-defense, citing "provocations" by the U.S. and its allies.

Japan has stepped up its air defences amid rising tensions in Asia after acquiring three advanced F-35 Lightning II aircraft from the United States. The fifth-generation fighter jets will be based at the Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa, located on the country's west coast just off the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.