Donald Trump faced his first major foreign policy challenge as president on Sunday following the launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea – a launch likely timed to coincide with the visit of Japan’s prime minister to the United States.

Mr Trump and Shinzo Abe, his Japanese counterpart, hastily convened a press conference late on Saturday night to condemn the test.

Mr Abe called the launch "absolutely intolerable" and said North Korea must comply with UN Security Council resolutions.

Mr Trump added: "I just want everybody to understand, and fully know, that the United States of America is behind Japan, our great ally, 100 per cent."