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British Prime Minister Theresa May is "outraged" by North Korea's "illegal" missile test over Japan, her office said today just hours before she flies into the eye of the storm.

Downing Street condemned Kim Jong-Un's secretive regime after it fired a rocket over the Japanese island of Hokkaido for an estimated 1,677 miles before landing in the Pacific Ocean.

Tonight Mrs May jets off to Japan for a three-day trip, which is going ahead despite fears her plan to discuss trade and investment will be sidelined by talks on security.

She said she would discuss the missile test with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

US President Donald Trump has warned "all options are on the table".

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister is outraged by North Korea's reckless provocation and she strongly condemns these illegal tests.

"We are going to continue to work with our international partners to keep the pressure on North Korea."

(Image: AFP)

The spokeswoman refused to discuss Mrs May's flight path for security reasons but said: "We're going on the trip and our plans haven't changed at all."

She added the UN Security Council is expected to consider "additional sanctions" against North Korea when it holds an emergency meeting, attended Britain, tonight in New York.

Locals on Hokkaido woke up to eerie loudspeaker messages, sirens and a text message warning them to take cover.

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(Image: REX/Shutterstock) (Image: Google)

(Image: PA)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe - who will meet Theresa May this week to discuss trade and security - said he would do all in his power to protect the Japanese public.

Abe said he had spoken with US President Donald Trump, who agreed to increase pressure on North Korea and said the US was "100% with Japan".

The Japanese Prime Minister added: "We will do our utmost to protect people's lives.

"This reckless act of launching a missile that flies over our country is an unprecedented, serious and important threat."

Boris Johnson also voiced "outrage" at North Korea and accused leader Kim Jong-Un of "reckless provocation"

The British Foreign Secretary tweeted: "Outraged at reckless provocation by #NorthKorea. Strongly condemn latest illegal missile launch by #DPRK."

(Image: Getty) (Image: REUTERS)

There was no damage to ships or anything else reported. Japan's NHK TV said the missile separated into three parts.

But the audacious launch comes amid heightened tension in East Asia, and after North Korea threatened to fire missiles towards the American territory of Guam .

Reports said the launch was believed to be the first to rocket fired from North Korea over Japan since 2009.

And North Korea has claimed it has, for the first time, developed a nuclear weapon small enough to fit inside a missile's warhead.

The launch comes on the eve of Theresa May's planned visit to Japan to discuss Britain's post- Brexit trade.

The Prime Minister will put trade and investment opportunities at the heart of her visit, where she will be received by Emperor Akihito and Mr Abe.

(Image: AFP)

Defence and security co-operation is also expected to be a key theme of the trip, from Wednesday to Friday.

The trip will be Mrs May's first visit to Japan as prime minister, having met Mr Abe at the G20 in Hamburg last month, at Chequers in April, and at the UN General Assembly in New York last year.