North Korea has fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into waters east of the Korean Peninsula, according to South Korea’s military.

The launches come just days after the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, vowed to fully ready his nuclear forces for battle with its rivals.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Thursday it detected the missiles launched “into the East Sea around 07:10 from Pyongyang”, describing the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. It said it was analysing details of the launch and “closely sharing information on the North Korean ballistic missile with the US and Japanese authorities, while strengthening surveillance and vigilance in preparation for further launches”.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed officials to ensure the safety of ships and aircraft, but there were no immediate reports of damage.