Kyunghyang Daily News, Hanguk Ilbo and Segye Ilbo carried editorials Tuesday.

That day the Japanese government at the interim Cabinet meeting reinterpreted the constitution in such a way that Japan can exercise "the right to collective self-defense" in case other countries with close ties with Japan come under attack even when Japan itself is not exposed to attack, the editorials charged.

Consequently, the principle of "exclusive defense" which calls for only the minimum defense when Japan is under attack and Article 9 of the Pacifist Constitution, which banned war and the use of force, has been nullified, in fact, they said.

They expressed concern over the decision which paved the way for Japan's use of force overseas.

They accused Japan of rushing headlong into a war, unhesitatingly justifying the crime-woven history, far from making repentance and apology for its past aggression and colonial rule.

Meanwhile, KBS and MBC of south Korea on July 1 and 2 reported that Asian countries expressed deep concern over Japan's behavior, noting that it is advancing, unhindered, to emerge "a country capable of fighting a war".