The international news carried on Page 6 of Rodong Sinmun dated July 31, 2026, reports on a Korean Central News Agency commentary on the US Forces Japan headquarters changing its mask into a “war headquarters” and aggravating the war clouds on the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific region, the Russian President's stand to defend national security and sovereignty, cooperation between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, typhoon damage in the Philippines, the record low water level of the Danube River in Hungary, the status of epidemic spread, the condemnation of Israel's atrocities of violent suppression, earthquake damage in various countries, geomagnetic storm data, and general knowledge about methods to relieve headaches without medicine.

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Korean Central News Agency Commentary

US Forces Japan Headquarters Is Changing Its Mask into a “War Headquarters”

The United States is adding a new strategic destabilizing factor to the Korean Peninsula and the Asia-Pacific region and bringing about ominous war clouds.

On July 26, the person called the commander of the US Forces Japan, in an interview with a Japanese newspaper, boasted that since last year, the “headquarters function has been strengthened” by reinforcing over 200 personnel to the US Forces Japan headquarters, thereby making “rapid response” that was previously impossible possible, and that personnel are being secured to maintain a 24-hour system in all combat functions.

He even blustered that “in the Asia-Pacific region, we must prepare not on the premise of whether a crisis will occur, but when it will occur,” and that “we will maintain all possible readiness together with Japan.”

This shows that, as part of a plan to reorganize the US Forces Japan headquarters, which had mainly performed administrative duties including the management of the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement in the past period, into an “integrated military headquarters” with substantial operational command authority, the US Forces Japan headquarters is changing its mask into a veritable “war headquarters” that commands all the US and its vassal countries' forces in the region.

As is known, since last year, the United States has been pushing forward an organizational reorganization to restructure the US Forces Japan, set up an “integrated military headquarters”, and grant part of the operational command authority of the US Pacific Command in Hawaii.

In the three-stage reorganization of the US Forces Japan, the basic core is to unify the command system of Japan's “Integrated Operations Command”, which commands the Ground, Maritime and Air “Self-Defense Forces” in a unified way and was launched in March last year, and the US Forces Japan, so that the US and Japan can conduct joint operations in the event of an emergency.

This also has the purpose of further strengthening the US overseas aggressive forces into field forces possessing independent wartime operation capability, but importantly, it harbours the sinister intention of using the Japanese “Self-Defense Forces” as a shock brigade and basic combat force for an all-out war in the Asia-Pacific region in the event of an emergency.

Already last year, as the United States embarked on the reorganization of the US Forces Japan headquarters, it publicly stated that “Japan will be at the forefront of all contingencies we may face in the Western Pacific region.”

In reality, voices of concern are being raised one after another in various parts of Japan, including by opposition parties, that the “Self-Defense Forces” will be dragged under the command of the US forces.

Given that the core reinforcement forces that the United States would first deploy in the Republic of Korea in the event of an emergency on the Korean Peninsula are the US Forces Japan, it is an undeniable fact that the first target of this “war headquarters” is none other than our Republic.

As the enemies themselves have admitted, today, a physical clash in the Korean Peninsula region is clearly defined not as a question of possibility—whether it will occur or not—but as a question of time—when it will occur.

Not long ago as well, the United States, together with the ROK puppet military gangsters, conducted the largest-ever “Combined Joint Sustainment Training” to expand war sustainment capability in the Korean Peninsula operation area and prepare for a prolonged war, and again advocated the strengthening of “trilateral security cooperation” including the continuous implementation of the multi-domain joint military exercise “Freedom Edge” at a meeting of the chiefs of the US-Japan-ROK trilateral joint staff.

The frantic military adventuristic acts of the United States, which are running wild to build large-scale offensive forces and long-term high-intensity operation capability while revealing its absolute and unchanging hostile will to confront our Republic to the end, are once again forcing us to draw the irreversible final conclusion that we must devote ourselves more to the unhesitating development and evolution of our self-defensive nuclear war deterrence.

In the past, there is a history that the US Far East Command, which was stationed in Japan and presided over the Korean War, was branded as a “defeated command” and met its end due to a bitter defeat.

The transformation of the US Forces Japan headquarters into a “war headquarters” is precisely a direct path to a shameful “defeated command”.

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Russian President Stresses Stand to Defend the Country's Security and Sovereignty

Russian President Vladimir Putin met deputies of the State Assembly whose terms expire on the 27th.

At the meeting, he said that the recent years have been one of the decisive stages in the history of Russia that are directly linked to the destiny of the people, and that the Russian people have always countered external challenging pressure and historical trials with unity.

He stressed that Russia is continuing to defend the security, sovereignty and justice of the state, and has the capability to deal a decisive counterstrike against any hostile acts.

He condemned that the enemies of Russia, having become unable to win on the battlefield, are clinging to blatant terrorist acts against the Russian people, and affirmed that the whole of Russia—the government, people and society—will surely achieve the goals set forth in the special military operation and will do everything for victory.

(Korean Central News Agency)

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Cooperation

Afghanistan and Uzbekistan signed 22 agreements on the development of trade between the two countries on the 26th.

The documents were signed in the Afghan capital Kabul.

Bilateral trade volume will reportedly increase significantly accordingly.

(Korean Central News Agency)

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Human and Material Damage Caused by Typhoon in the Philippines

Human and material damage occurred due to a typhoon in the Philippines. According to the National Disaster Coordination Council of this country on the 27th, three people lost their lives and one went missing on Mindanao Island, and more than 295 000 people nationwide were affected by the typhoon.

Also, more than 670 dwelling houses were completely destroyed or partially damaged, and 7 550 people were evacuated.

(Korean Central News Agency)

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Danube River Water Level Records Lowest Level in Hungary

In Hungary, the water level of the Danube River reached 31 cm on the 28th, which is reportedly lower than the previous lowest level observed in 2018.

(Korean Central News Agency)

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Status of Epidemic Spread

- In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the number of confirmed Ebola cases has surpassed 3 000. According to official statistical data released by the health authorities of this country on the 25th, the nationwide number of confirmed cases reached 3 075, among whom 1 354 have died.

It is reported that 556 have recovered, and 755 are still hospitalized or quarantined.

- The Chilean Ministry of Health issued a health alert on the 28th in connection with the serious damage caused by the Hantavirus.

In this country, 46 Hantavirus cases have occurred this year, and 18 of them have died, thus the fatality rate has reportedly reached more than double that of last year.

The Ministry of Health appealed to the residents to heighten their vigilance to the maximum, avoid contact with rodents, thoroughly disinfect inside and outside the house, and store food in a hygienically safe manner.

(Korean Central News Agency)

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Israel's Atrocities of Violent Suppression Condemned

The Chairman of the Palestinian National Council issued a statement on the 28th condemning Israel's atrocities of violent suppression in the West Bank.

He branded and condemned that over the past two days, Israel has engaged in large-scale destructive acts in this area and forcibly displaced dozens of families of Palestinians, as a manoeuvre to strengthen colonial rule and accelerate territorial annexation in the occupied territory.

Earlier, it is reported that Israel destroyed Palestinian dwelling houses in Hebron and Ramallah under unjust pretexts, and the person called the Israeli Defence Minister instructed that Palestinians be expelled from a refugee camp and troops be permanently stationed there.

(Korean Central News Agency)

Palestinians condemning Israel's atrocities of slaughter

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Damage Caused by Earthquakes Occurring in Various Countries

Severe damage is being caused by earthquakes occurring frequently in various countries.

Recently, an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 on the Richter scale struck Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. After the earthquake occurred, accidents followed one after another, including explosions, building collapses, freight train derailments and overturns, and bridges collapsing into rivers. Also, water supply was cut off and power supply was interrupted. It has been revealed that 13 people died. The meteorological agency of this country appealed to residents to be careful of earthquakes for about a week going forward.

In Venezuela, great human casualties occurred due to two strong earthquakes that occurred last June. Less than a minute after an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 on the Richter scale occurred on the night of June 24, an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 occurred in succession, buildings collapsed, and countless people were trapped in the debris and lost their lives. At that time, a geological survey agency of a certain country estimated that a great catastrophe had struck and the death toll would reach 10 000–100 000. That is how severely the earthquakes in Venezuela brought disasters.

At the time the earthquakes occurred, the death toll reached about 30 and the number of wounded about 700, but as time passed, casualties increased greatly. As of the 17th, the death toll rose to 5 069. More than 850 buildings were destroyed, and over 21 230 people are living in temporary shelter facilities. It is reported that more than 1 330 aftershocks have been recorded so far.

In Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, an earthquake also occurred and a state of emergency was declared. According to the national disaster management agency of this country, the earthquake of magnitude 6.7 on the Richter scale that occurred on June 16 killed three people in the province, wounded more than 100, and affected over 6 400 residents. Local authorities, saying that at least 13 aftershocks have been recorded, demanded that residents not enter buildings until safety is confirmed.

In the southern region of the Philippines, a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred on June 8, killing 55 and wounding 1 120. Power supply to 48 cities and autonomous regions was cut off, and roads, bridges, airports and port facilities were damaged, disrupting their operation. The total number of victims reached more than 390 000. The Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that more than 3 860 aftershocks have been recorded after the earthquake occurred.

It is reported that earthquakes occurring on a global scale number about 5 million every year. However, the absolute majority of earthquakes are so small that only instruments can detect them, and earthquakes that people can feel are only about 1%.

All earthquakes of magnitude 7 or higher on the Richter scale bring great disasters.

The energy released when a strong earthquake occurs is reportedly far greater than the energy generated when the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki exploded.

According to statistical data, among the large earthquakes that occur each year, about one is of magnitude 8 or higher on the Richter scale, ten are of magnitude 7–7.9, and about 100 are of magnitude 6–6.9.

On Earth, the death toll from earthquakes over the past 500 years reaches about 5 million.

Staff Reporter

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Data on Geomagnetic Storms

There are no predicted days for geomagnetic storms from August 1 to 15, 2026.

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General Knowledge

Methods to Relieve Headaches without Using Medicine

A Russian expert stated that with the help of massage, headaches can be effectively relieved without using medicine. According to him, massage helps relieve headaches by activating the nerve receptors under the skin.

He said, “Massage is done by pressing lightly or in a circular motion on certain parts of the head, arms and legs. Before that, the skin should be warmed up by a method of gently stroking it.”

He divided the main massage areas into several types.

- The temporal area helps with migraines.

- The occipital area relieves headaches caused by osteochondrosis.

- The acupoint at the base of the first cervical vertebra is effective for migraines.

- The areas above the outer ends of both eyebrows help with pain in the nasal area and headaches caused by nasal congestion.

He stressed that massage should not be done forcefully and should be done for four minutes.

(Korean Central News Agency)