Missile alarm sirens sound in Japan after North Korea launches ballistic missile

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.