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Military power of Japan & North Korea

Japan vs North Korea

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Japan North Korea

Japan is a country located in Eastern Asia with an area of 377,944 km² (land boundries: 0 km and costline 29,751 km). The capital of Japan is Tokyo. The number of inhabitants is 125,360,000.

The current Self Defense Force was founded in 1954. Japan has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the USA. Approximately 55,000 US troops and other military assets, including aircraft and naval ships, were stationed in Japan and had exclusive use of more than 80 bases and facilities. In exchange for their use, the US guarantees Japan’s security. The JSDF is equipped with a mix of imported and domestically-produced equipment. The majority of its weapons imports are from the US and some domestically-produced weapons are US-origin and manufactured under license.

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North Korea is a country located in Eastern Asia with an area of 120,540 km² (land boundries: 1,607 km and costline 2,495 km). The capital of North Korea is Pyongyang. The number of inhabitants is 25,549,604.

The KPA is equipped with older weapon systems originally acquired from the former Soviet Union, Russia, and China, as well as some domestically-produced equipment. The North Korea produces a diverse array of military hardware like light armored vehicles, tanks, naval vessels and submarines, and advanced weapons systems, such as ballistic missiles. North Korea developing also nuclear weapons.

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Military expenditures

Military budget

51 billion $

2 billion $

Percent of GDP

1.2 %

5 %

Manpower

Active personnel

247,150

1,320,000

Reserve personnel

56,100

600,000

Available for military

27,301,443

6,515,279

Land Forces

Tanks

1,004

6,000

Armoured fighting vehicles

3,072

4,000

Total artillery

623

13,000

Self-propelled artillery

214

4,500

Rocket artillery

99

4,000

Air Forces

Total aircraft

1,444

960

Fighter

155

349

Multirole

79

35

Attack

0

188

Helicopters

698

202

UCAV (combat drone)

0

Navy

Total naval

140

967

Aircraft carriers

4

0

Destroyers

36

0

Frigates

2

Corvettes

6

8

Submarines

22

72

Nuclear weapons

Japan

Does not have nuclear weapons.

North Korea

Although at the beginning North Korea joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, they withdrew from it on January 2003. It was a consequence of the United States accusation. The USA government claimed that North Korea was unofficially funding a program of uranium enrichment. Because of that, they cancelled the 1994 Agreed Framework treaty and cut off the energy assistance. Two years after withdrawing, the officials from North Korea claimed that they own operational nuclear arsenal. In spite of North Koreans assurances, the United States did not believe that North Korea really posses such weapons. As a result, the government of North Korea decided to conduct tests.

There were three tests that North Korea initially conducted. The first one, with the yield of less than a kiloton, took place in 2006. However, to show that this was in fact a nuclear detonation, North Koreans conducted second and third tests, respectable in 2009 and 2013. The maximum power of the blast of the aforementioned tests can be estimated to be up to 40 kilotons. However, a lot of sources claim that yield did not surpass 10-15 kilotons. Noteworthy is also the fact that in 2016, North Korea announced that they have conducted their first hydrogen-bomb test.

Military service

Japan

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; mandatory retirement at age 53 for senior enlisted personnel and at 62 years for senior service officers.

North Korea

18 is presumed to be the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 16-17 is the presumed legal minimum age for voluntary service.