TOKYO, September 12. /TASS/. North Korea launched at least one projectile presumed to be a ballistic missile in the early hours of Thursday, the Japanese coast guards said.

The projectile splashed down outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, according to the NHK television. Its flight lasted approximately seven minutes.

Later, the Japanese Defense Ministry said several ballistic missiles were launched from the western coast of the Korean Peninsula in the northeastern direction. Two of these projectiles covered the distance of 350 km, reaching the maximum altitude of 100 km.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that the launch of multiple projectiles occurred at approximately 7:10 a.m. local time on Thursday (10:10 p.m. GMT on Wednesday).

The Japanese coast guards urged vessels in the area to stay away from the missile’s debris and contact officials immediately if they spot any fragments. According to NHK, no damage was reported as a result of the launch.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry described the launches as "a threat to peace and stability of the country, region and the global community," adding that they were carried out in breach of UN Security Council violations. In this regard, Japan lodged a diplomatic protest to North Korea.

This is the tenth North Korean missile launch this year. The previous one occurred on July 1. According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, one short-range ballistic missile and one unidentified ballistic missile were fired on that day. In turn, North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency said the country had successfully test-launched Hwasong-11Da-4.5 short-range ballistic missile, capable of carrying a 4.5-ton payload.