North Korea threat

Japan seeks longer-range cruise missiles amid North Korea threat

The announcement by Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera comes amid regular missile tests by North Korea and increased tensions between the nations.

The missiles will be deployed on Japan's fleet of fighter jets and have a range of up to 1,000km (621 miles).

The move is likely to be controversial, as Japan limits its military to self-defence.

But conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pushed in recent months to loosen the country's military restrictions, imposed in the wake of World War Two.

Guam's faithful look to God as North Korea threat looms

"If we were given 14 minutes to decide what to do with our lives, do you think you'd have enough time?"

Gofigan was referring to the length of time the Guam Homeland Security department estimates it would take a North Korean missile to reach the island. It's not idle debate.

Last week, North Korean state media said it was drawing up plans to fire four missiles less than 25 miles from Guam's coastline, placing the Pacific island in the center of the increasingly hostile rhetoric being lobbed between Washington and Pyongyang.

Trump says fire and fury threat 'maybe not tough enough'

He said the regime would be in trouble "like few nations have ever been" if they do not "get their act together".

His comments came after Pyongyang announced it had a plan to fire four missiles near the US territory of Guam.

The New Zealand Defence Force has confirmed an Air Force aircraft is in Guam as part of a military exercise.

Tensions between the two countries have escalated in recent weeks after North Korea tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July.