Abe vows to bolster defence

TOKYO, Nov 17 (AP): Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged Friday to bolster his country's defences, calling the threat from North Korea the gravest security concern Japan has faced since World War II.
Outlining his priorities in a policy speech to parliament, Abe described North Korea's sixth nuclear test earlier this year and two missile launches that flew over Japan as a national crisis.
He promised concrete action to respond to what he called "escalating provocations" by North Korea.
"We will strengthen Japanese defense power, including missile defense capabilities, in order to protect the people's lives and peace," he said.
Abe called on the international community to put more pressure on North Korea to persuade it to change its policies.
The 39-day special parliamentary session runs through Dec. 9. Abe's ruling coalition won in a landslide in last month's snap election, securing a two-thirds supermajority in both houses of parliament, which makes it easy for Abe's policies to be approved.