TOKYO, August 31. /TASS/. Japan has expressed protest to North Korea following the launch of two ballistic missiles in the early hours on Thursday.

"The launches of ballistic missiles violate the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and are a serious problem related to the issue of ensuring security of people in our country. With this in mind, we expressed a strong protest to North Korea," the office of the Japanese prime minister said in a press statement on Thursday.

According to Tokyo, the missiles flew from 350 to 400 kilometers to fall down outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan. The maximal altitude was about 50 kilometers.

According to a statement of the KPA (Korean People’s Army) General Staff cited by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the KPA conducted drills simulating tactical nuclear strikes on military targets in South Korea. The drills were organized as a response to the United States and South Korea’s Ulchi Freedom Shield maneuvers geared, according to the North Korean side, to drill a scenario of a preemptive nuclear strike on North Korea.

South Korea and the United States are holding annual joint exercises Ulchi Freedom Shield from August 21 through 31.