Japanese defense minister Itsunori Onodera announced new details Monday over the country’s plans to install the Aegis Ashore missile defense system, citing the continued threat from North Korea, the country's Kyodo News Agency reported.

Defense minister Onodera said the country would spend 134 billion yen (USD$1.2 billion) per unit on two ground-based missile defense batteries (USD$2.4 billion total) – a plan adopted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration last fall.