The Japanese cabinet is expected to approve a government budget proposal for fiscal year 2017 that includes a record U.S. $44 billion in defense spending.

The country's defense spending has increased every year since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office in late 2012.

Japanese media reports quote sources as saying part of the increase will come from expenses to upgrade interceptor missiles that would counter threats from the DPRK.

The government also plans to develop and build a new submarine.