TOKYO, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Defense Ministry confirmed Monday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) had launched three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, with officials from the prime minister's office, as well as the Foreign Ministry, saying they are currently gathering more information on the launch.
According to the defense ministry here, it is along with Japan's coast guard gathering information as to whether any vessels or aircraft in the region along the projectiles' flight paths and landing spots in the Sea of Japan have been damaged.
The ministry said it believes the missiles were launched at around 12:14 p.m. local time from close to the coast of the DPRK in its Hwanghae province, adding that it is currently trying to determine what type of missiles were launched, how far they flew and exactly where in the Sea of Japan they landed.
Japan's defense ministry also issued a warning for possible falling debris from the projectiles.
The DPRK has recently voiced its opposition to the joint military drills conducted by the United States and South Korea in the region which concluded last Friday, with the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise comprising some 25,000 U.S. troops.
The DPRK also stands opposed to the U.S. and South Korea deciding to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to South Korea to counter potential threats from the DPRK.
The spate of recent launches, government officials here have said, have also been a show of defiance against UN Security Council resolutions slapped on the DPRK for its ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile technology programs, which are banned under the council's resolutions.
