Japan says 5 Chinese missiles landed in its EEZ

The Japanese government today confirmed that five ballistic missiles launched by China during its maneuvers on Thursday landed in waters belonging to its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Japanese Defense Ministry announced that the missiles were fired inside the archipelago’s EEZ, for which Japanese authorities have moved a protest to Beijing.

China began live-fire drills around Taiwan on Thursday. (which is about 160 kilometers from the southwestern tip of the Japanese archipelago), in response to the visit of Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm local time (6:00 am and 7:00 am GMT) Japan detected nine launches of Chinese ballistic missiles, five of which went into its EEZ, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said. , reports to the media.

“This is a very serious incident affecting the security of our territory and the security of our people“This is the first time that the Chinese military’s ballistic missiles have hit the waters of the exclusive economic zone,” Kishi said.

The Japanese government has lodged a diplomatic protest with the Chinese administration as a result of the missiles carried out in the framework of exercises by the Chinese military in the Taiwan Strait, which led to the closure of sea and airspace in six areas around the island. Considered by Beijing as part of its territory.

The missiles ended up in waters near Hateruma Island, an island in the Okinawa archipelago in Japan’s extreme southwest.

The incident has escalated tensions between the neighboring countries Tokyo has condemned the escalation of Chinese naval military operations in recent months Around the Senkaku Islands, administered by Japan but claimed by Beijing (which calls them Dioyu), and other parts of the archipelago.