“A minimum requirement to convince myself that I was right about remaining in Japan was that our children born in North Korea would grow motivated in life and become self-reliant in this country.

TOKYO -- South Korea outstripped Japan in per capita gross domestic product for the first time ever in 2022, new data from Tokyo shows, a reversal caused by Japan's weak yen and aging population.

In 2022, North Korea made significant progress on its weapons. It began the year by testing short-range missiles designed to hit South Korea, followed by mid-range ones that can target Japan.