Chinese Ballistic Missiles Fall into Japan EEZ for 1st Time

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--Five ballistic missiles launched by China during its military drills around Taiwan on Thursday fell within Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said.

It was the first time that Chinese ballistic missiles landed in Japan's EEZ, according to the Defense Ministry. There have been no reports of damage to Japanese aircraft or ships.

At a press conference, Kishi condemned the missile launches as a serious incident affecting Japan's security and its people's safety.

The Chinese military fired ballistic missiles on Thursday afternoon, of which five fell into waters within Japan's EEZ southwest of Hateruma Island in the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa.

One missile that landed outside Japan's EEZ fell at a point only some 80 kilometers from Yonaguni Island in Okinawa, Japanese ministry officials said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]