Japan plans a record USD 46 billion defence budget for the next fiscal year to strengthen its missile defence against the threat posed by North Korea, a report said on Saturday.
The Government is expected to set aside 5.19 trillion yen for defence in the country's initial budget proposal for the fiscal year starting April 2018, the Nikkei daily said.
It will mark the sixth straight year of increases in defence outlays, topping the 5.12 trillion yen budget for the current fiscal year, the business daily said.