TOKYO, August 6. /TASS/. Missiles launched by North Korea on tuesday have not reached Japan's territorial waters or its exclusive economic zone, the country's defense ministry said.

"Missiles have nor reached our country's territorial waters or exclusive economic zone," the defense ministry said.

Japan's Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said that recent missile launches by North Korea present a serious threat to Japan's security. "This is a serious threat and serious challenge to our country," Kyodo news agency quoted Iwaya as saying. The defense minister added that available information suggests that North Korea conducted a test launch of short-range ballistic missiles earlier on Tuesday.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said earlier that North Korea fired two unidentified projectiles from South Hwanghae province into the sea to the east. The JCS believe that Pyongyang once again tested its new short-range ballistic missiles. On August 2, North Korea also carried out test launches of guided missiles from its new multiple rocket launcher systems.