Ex-wartime sex slaves sue South Korea over deal with Japan

Philippine leader rejects emergency power vs extremists

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's Defense Ministry is seeking a record-high 5.17 trillion yen ($51 billion) budget for the 2017 fiscal year to bolster missile defense capability amid an escalating North Korean threat and better protect disputed islands also claimed by China in the East China Sea. If approved by parliament, the budget request submitted Wednesday would be the fifth annual increase under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who ended a decade of defense budget cuts. The request includes the purchase of next-generation missile interceptors and an upgrade of surface-to-air missile defense systems to extend range and accuracy. It also calls for the development of a new submarine with advanced surveillance capabilities, upgrades to destroyers and the purchase of F-35 fighter jets.

Japanese Defense Ministry seeks record $51 billion budget