Japan's defence chiefs are seeking a record $48bn budget next year that includes $1.6bn (£1.2bn) for missile defence and an extra $160m for research and development.

The announcement comes less than a week after North Korea fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile over Japan's northern Hokkaido region, provoking a storm of outrage around the world.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe denounced the launch as an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat" to the region.

The defence ministry's latest budget request includes funds, totalling a reported $1.6bn (£1.2bn), for upgrades to the nation's ballistic missile defence systems designed to shoot down incoming projectiles.

Part of the smaller allocation would go towards development of longer-range missiles that could potentially be used in a strike capacity.

Such a weapon would be politically controversial in Japan, whose post-WW2 constitution, imposed by the US during occupation, has a pacifist and defensive stance.

The document has not prevented Japan from amassing a highly capable military force, however.

Mr Abe has proposed altering the constitution to "establish the status of the Self-Defence Forces explicitly" in order to "leave no room for contending the SDF could be unconstitutional".

Military historian John Kuehn told CNN last year: "Pilot for pilot, ship for ship, Japan can stand toe to toe with anybody."

Following the budget request, one member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party said: "Striking enemy bases after an attack to stop subsequent launches would seem like a natural thing to do, but that would be difficult for people in Japan to accept under the current constitution."

Theresa May: China must put pressure on North Korea to halt missile launches

A second portion of the $160m—some $90m—will go on studying hypersonic missiles to quickly penetrate enemy defences.

"The research and development is for island defence," a Ministry of Defence official told a briefing, referring to the southwestern Okinawa island chain skirting the East China Sea, where Japan is embroiled in a territorial dispute with China.

In pictures: North Korea military drill Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: North Korea military drill In pictures: North Korea military drill North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Japan had consistently hyped the so-called "China threat" to increase its defence spending, and urged it to learn the lessons of history and pay heed to its neighbours' security concerns.

"Regardless of what its reasons are, Japan's defence spending is increasing every year and has reached a new historical high. We express concern about this," Ms Hua told a regular press briefing.

The latest funds will pay for ballistic missile defence upgrades, six F-35 stealth fighters, four V-22 Osprey tilt rotor troop carriers, besides orders for new naval vessels, including a submarine and two compact warships.

They have yet to be approved by the government.