Tokyo, Mar. 27: Japan's Defense Ministry says North Korea fired two ballistic missiles on Monday morning.

Ministry officials say the missiles appear to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

The officials say the projectiles were fired from near North Korea's west coast toward the northeast.

The ministry estimates the missiles reached an altitude of about 50 kilometers and flew about 350 kilometers before landing in waters outside Japan's EEZ.

The officials say the two missiles may have had irregular trajectories. There have been no reports of damage to aircraft or ships.

This is the first time since March 19, and the eighth time this year, that North Korea has launched what could be ballistic missiles.

It is the eleventh time this year that the North has fired missiles, if the country's launches of cruise missiles announced by Pyongyang and the South Korean military are included.

Japan's Defense Ministry is gathering information and monitoring the situation.-Agencies