UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The bilateral relationship between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Japan is at its worst stage, Choe Su Hon, Deputy Foreign Minister of the DPRK said Tuesday.

    In an interview held at DPRK's UN mission, Choe said that Japan is the source of instability in Asia.

    The Japanese authority is challenging the international community with regard to its past crimes, he said, claiming that "the DPRK-Japan relationship is now at the worst stage."

    "Japan is now playing a trick to divert the international attention elsewhere by clamoring fictitious kidnapping issue," Choe noted.

    Speaking at the general debate of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday morning, Choe severely criticized Japan for its behavior.

    "In an open challenge to the denunciation and condemnation of the international community, the Japanese authorities do not hesitate to distort the history far beyond concealing the blood stained past crimes, while turning the 'self defense force' into a regular army with a mandate of preemptive strikes on other countries by changing the 'Peace Constitution' into a war constitution," he said.

    "We hope that Japan will truly follow the path of friendship and peace rather than tracing its unsavory past," Choe said, adding Japan will be "futureless" unless it makes thorough liquidation of its past crimes.