Japan has reacted furiously after North Korea launched a ballistic missile over northern parts of the country on Tuesday morning, triggering the J-Alert system to warn residents to take cover in sturdy buildings or underground.

Fumio Kishida, the Japanese prime minister, said firing a missile across Japanese territory was “outrageous” and “barbaric”.

The weapon, which analysts suggest may have been a nuclear-capable Hwasong-12 intercontinental ballistic missile, was detected being launched from North Korea’s Jagang Province at 7.22am local time (11.22pm BST on Monday) and crashed into the Pacific Ocean about 1,900 miles to the east of Japan, 22 minutes later.

Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/customer/subscribe/digitalsub/3for1/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_pvid_conversion-subscription_editorial-iniative_03-22_EGW-13_organic_youtube

Get the latest headlines: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.