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Theresa May 'outraged' at latest North Korea missile test

Downing Street says there will be no changes to the Prime Minister's Japan trip despite Pyongyang's "reckless provocation".

Prime Minister Theresa May during a visit to Teesside
Image: Mrs May 'strongly condemns these illegal tests', her spokeswoman said
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There will be no changes to Theresa May's plans to travel to Japan, despite North Korea firing a ballistic missile over the country.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister was "outraged" at Pyongyang's latest "reckless provocation".

The missile and landed in the Pacific Ocean, a move Japan's PM Shinzo Abe said represented an "unprecedented, serious and important threat".

Mrs May is heading to Japan for talks with her Japanese counterpart on Wednesday at a time of heightened tension following North Korea's latest missile launch.

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Japan's sirens ring out following North Korea missile

London and Tokyo have been in "constant contact" ahead of the trip, Mrs May's spokeswoman said, adding: "We are going on the trip and our plans haven't changed at all."

North Korea's nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes were already on the agenda for the talks in the Japanese capital.

"The Prime Minister is outraged by North Korea's reckless provocation and she strongly condemns these illegal tests," the spokeswoman said.

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"From our perspective, we are willing to continue to work with our international partners to keep the pressure on North Korea."

Speaking after the regular Westminster briefing for journalists, Mrs May said Britain would "continue to work with our international partners" to pressure Kim Jong Un's regime to end its "illegal tests".

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North Korea missile a 'serious threat'

The PM added that she would be discussing the latest missile test with Mr Abe.

An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council will be convened to consider possible new sanctions against Kim's regime, and "over the next three days the Prime Minister will have quite a lot of time with Prime Minister Abe to discuss, among other things, North Korea," her spokeswoman told reporters.

As well as the crisis with North Korea, opportunities for post-Brexit trade and investment will also be high on the agenda.

However, according to a report in the Financial Times, there will not be "substantial" progress on a free trade deal between the two nations.

This is because, according to one Japanese official, Tokyo's priority is finalising the free trade deal it has agreed in principle with the European Union.