Japan: NKorea threat more serious than 'ever'

TOKYO: Japan said Friday that North Korea posed a more serious threat to its national security than "ever before," as nuclear-armed Pyongyang rattles its neighbors with repeated missile tests and belligerent rhetoric.

In its annual white paper — a rundown of the most pressing military threats and plans to ensure stability — Japan's defense ministry made a case for a significant hike in domestic defense spending as the world enters "a new era of crisis."