North Korea has opted not to hold an "anti-US imperialism" rally marking the anniversary of the start of the Korean War, another sign of detente following the summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.
Last year's event was held on Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square with a reported 100,000 people attending. The North even issued special anti-US postage stamps. But for the first time in years, no such rally was planned today.
Fist-pumping, flag-waving and slogan-shouting masses of North Koreans normally join the annual rally that sets off a month of anti-US, Korean War-focused events designed to strengthen nationalism and unity. It all culminates onJuly 27, which the North celebrates as the day of "Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War."
North Korea to 'ignore' Japan:
North Korea will continue to ignore Japan unless Tokyo halts hostilities against its neighbour, such as large-scale military drills and efforts to boost military readiness, the isolated nation's state media said on Monday.
Japan has been eyeing prospects for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes to tackle the issue of Japanese citizens abducted decades ago by the North.
Despite Kim's summits with the leaders of China, South Korea and the United States in a flurry of diplomatic activity over the past year, no date has been set for one with Japan.
"If Japan does not correct its ambitions regarding peace and security, it should realise the end result where Japan is passed over will be inevitable," North Korea's state news agency said.
"Japan should stop its large-scale military drills and the boosting of its military capacity aimed at attacking (Korea), scrap its hostile policy against us, break with the past and show its sincerity towards peace," it said in a commentary.
In 2002, North Korea admitted that it kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s, and five returned home.
(With PTI and Reuters inputs)
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