TOKYO, August 12. /TASS/. Japan has protested to North Korea through diplomatic channels in connection with Pyongyang's launch of a ballistic missile, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stated.

"Through diplomatic channels, via the embassy in Beijing, we expressed a strong protest," he told journalists. The head of the defense ministry expressed confidence that the launch was a violation of current UN Security Council resolutions. According to Koizumi, Japan, together with the United States and the Republic of Korea, is currently continuing to analyze information related to North Korea's missile launch. No information about any damage has been received, he clarified.

The defense minister confirmed that the missile fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan. Koizumi did not provide data on the missile's range and flight altitude, explaining that this data is still being analyzed. He emphasized that the missile was a ballistic missile.

"The maximum flight altitude was about 90 km, the missile flew approximately 690 km, after which it fell into the Sea of Japan," he said.

The previous missile launch by Pyongyang took place on August 6; the missile launched at that time also fell outside Japan’s EEZ.