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 — which extends 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from Japan's coast — 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.