Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan will take concrete action to enhance its joint defense system with the U.S. against growing threats from North Korea. 

Kyodo News reported Monday that Abe revealed the plan during a meeting with commanders of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. 

Abe pointed out that threats posed by the North’s repeated provocations should be suppressed, and apparently referred to a plan by the Japanese military to strengthen its joint exercises with the U.S., involving Japan’s Ballistic Missile Defense(BMD) system and American supercarriers and strategic bombers.

The prime minister also called for relentless recalibration of Tokyo's defense plans in response to the changing security situation. 

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