Japan's Abe vows to bolster defense amid N Korea threat

Tokyo, Nov 17 (AP) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the threat from North Korea is the most serious security concern his country has faced since World War II and has pledged to bolster defense measures.

Outlining priorities in his policy speech in parliament today, Abe called North Korea's sixth nuclear test and missiles that flew over Japan earlier this year "a national crisis."

Abe says Japan will take "concrete actions" under the Japan-US alliance in order to respond to any emergency amid Pyongyang's "escalating provocation." He says Japan will further strengthen its missile defense capability.

Japan's defense spending has steadily increased since Abe took office in 2012. Tokyo has said it plans to buy more American missile defense systems.