Japan's Defense Ministry says North Korea has launched two ballistic missiles that may have dropped in the country's exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, in the Sea of Japan.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff also confirmed the launches. They say the North fired two short-range ballistic missiles eastward at around 7:30 p.m.

Japanese Parliamentary Vice Defense Minister Onoda Kimi told reporters on Thursday evening that North Korea launched at least two ballistic missiles eastward from near the country's west coast at around 7:24 and 7:36 p.m. that day.

She said the missiles flew about 850 and 900 kilometers and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers on their 11-minute flights.

She also said the missiles are believed to have fallen into Japan's EEZ about 250 kilometers off the island of Hegurajima in Ishikawa Prefecture.

She added that the missiles may have flown on irregular trajectories.

The ministry says there's no information on damage.

The launches came about 30 minutes after a spokesperson for the North's defense ministry issued a statement accusing the US and South Korean militaries of staging large-scale live-fire drills.

The statement says North Korea strongly condemns provocative and irresponsible actions that further heighten military tensions in the region.

This is the first time since February 18 that a North Korean ballistic missile has dropped into Japan's EEZ.

The projectile fired by the North in February was believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. It is thought to have crashed into the Sea of Japan near Hokkaido, in Japan's EEZ.

North Korea announced on May 31 that it failed to launch what it called a rocket. Pyongyang said an accident occurred during an attempt to put a new satellite into orbit.