The brutal regime of young despot Kim Jong-un fired yet another missile on Monday evening, this time crossing Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido in the boldest show of force from the DPRK in recent years.
Mrs May made the remarks upon arriving in Tokyo to meet her Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.
She said: ”As two outward-facing countries with many shared priorities and shared challenges, Japan remains a natural partner for us on defence and security issues.
“I am determined that our defence and security co-operation will continue to go from strength to strength, enhancing our collective response to threats to the international order and to global peace and security, through increased co-operation on defence, cyber security, and counter-terrorism.
“And that must include confronting the threat that North Korea poses and ensuring the regime stops its aggressive acts.”
The UK and Japan are set to agree a new pact that includes British and Japanese troops carrying out joint exercises, it has been reported.
During her visit to Japan, Mrs May also called on China in particular to exercise its influence over Kim Jong-un to ensure he does not carry out further missile tests.
She said: “I believe that China should be using its leverage with North Korea to ensure that North Korea stops these illegal tests.
“There are a number of issues that China can look at, obviously there’s been some discussion about further sanctions in the international community.
“I think we should remember, as I’m here in Japan today, that this was a missile that went over Japanese land so that will have been of real concern to the Japanese people – we need to work together internationally to stop North Korea from carrying out these illegal tests.”
Her comments came after North Korea earlier this week also threatened Britain with a “miserable end” if it teams up with the United States in the ever-escalating conflict.
The rogue nation warned Westminster against “taking advantage” of the chaos on the Korean peninsula and said the UK will face destruction if they “play with fire”.
Kim also dismissed the UK as merely one of America’s “satellites” – in a scathing attack on Prime Minister Theresa May, who has not joined US president Donald Trump in speaking out on the hermit kingdom’s leader.
A statement released through a Pyongyang-based propaganda news agency said: “The reality vividly shows that the US ambition for stifling the DPRK remains unchanged no matter how much water may flow under the bridge and the puppet group’s ambition for invading the North remains unchanged.
“We solemnly warn not only the US and puppet group, but also satellites, including the UK and Australia, which are taking advantage of the present war manoeuvres against the North, that they would face a miserable end if they join in play with fire by tiger moths of war.”
