Japan, in its annual defense white paper, has upgraded its official warning status on North Korea by saying that the threat has entered a new stage. Japan reassessed the threat level from Pyongyang after two nuclear tests and 20 test-firings of ballistic missiles conducted by the isolated nation since the last year’s report. The paper suggested the possibility that North Korea has already achieved miniaturization of nuclear weapons and acquired nuclear warheads.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has focused to change Japan’s pacifist constitution and amend article 9 of the Japanese constitution with a peace clause that renounces the threat or use of force to settle international disputes. The report for the first time made specific mention of China’s activities in the Sea of Japan. The new defense minister of Japan has publicly called for developing technologies that would allow Tokyo to hit overseas missile bases.

The report comes at a time when the Trump administration in the United States has taken up the North Korean issue more seriously than any previous administration and has been increasing international pressures on North Korea to come to the discussion table. Earlier this week, United Nation’s Security Council imposed trade sanctions on North Korea that could see Pyongyang’s $3 billion exports cut by a third if fully implemented.