YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. Japan’s Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said North Korea on Monday launched two ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan, reports TASS.

"North Korea has today launched two ballistic missiles in eastern direction," he told reporters. "They flew about 300 kilometers and fell in the area of North Korea’s eastern coast."

The area is outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, he said.

During the flight, the missiles reached the altitude of 50 kilometers, the minister said.

South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff also reported two missile launches from the neighborhood of an international airport near Pyongyang.

This is North Korea’s fourth missile launch this year. The previous launch took place on January 14 when North Korean military fired a pair of tactical missiles from train cars.