Five ballistic missiles launched by China¡¯s military during exercises around Taiwan on Thursday were believed to have landed inside Japan¡¯s exclusive economic zone for the first time, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said.

The Defense Ministry said all five of the missiles that landed within Japan¡¯s EEZ ¡ª which extends 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from Japan¡¯s coast ¡ª had fallen into waters southwest of Hateruma Island in Okinawa Prefecture.

Kishi said the Japanese government delivered a diplomatic protest to Beijing over the move.