Japan plans to propose putting priority on bolstering missile defense systems during its security dialogue with the United States late next month, a government source said Saturday.

The two countries' foreign and defense ministers may discuss how to divide roles, including whether to have U.S. capabilities in place to destroy an enemy military base before a ballistic missile launch, according to the source.

In the first "two-plus-two" security talks held by the countries since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, Japan hopes to reaffirm that Tokyo and Washington are on the same page about their sense of urgency in dealing with the threat posed by North Korea.