Chinese missiles which were fired toward Taiwan landed in Japanese waters, according to Tokyo. Five ballistic missiles landed in the exclusive economic zone of Japan.
The Japanese government stated that the missiles fell in the EEZ part of a Chinese-designated training area southwest of Hateruma Island in the southern prefecture of Okinawa, marking the first time that Chinese ballistic missiles have dropped within the waters, according to Kyodo News.
Japanese Foreign Minister Asks Beijing To Suspend Its Military Exercise
Infuriated by the incident, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi has asked Beijing to immediately suspend its military exercise near Taiwan.
Taipei stated that the communist regime fired 11 ballistic missiles into waters off its south-western and north-eastern coasts on Thursday. China started firing missiles around 2 pm (local time) and kept firing till 4 pm.
The island of Yonaguni, which belongs to Japan, sits around 70 miles off Taiwan's eastern coast and Japan's 'economic zone' - waters in which it has special rights - covers about half the distance between the two, reported Daily Mail.
Japan Lodges Diplomatic Protest With Beijing
Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi called termed Beijing's move extremely coercive. He underlined that China's acts concern Japan's national security and the safety of the people.
Tokyo also lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing over the development.
Hateruma is close to Taiwan and other islands such as Yonaguni and the Senkakus in the East China Sea. The westernmost Japanese island of Yonaguni is a critical defense line for Japan's Self-Defense Forces, while the Senkaku Islands, administered by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing, are at the heart of bilateral friction, according to Kyodo News.
Beijing started holding military drills surrounding Taiwan to oppose US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei. China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan, had warned Washington of the grave consequences of Pelosi's visit.
A day before, China's more than 20 fighter jets also entered Taiwan's air defense identification zones.
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