TOKYO, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Monday condemned the firing by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) of three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, yet also called for restraint, stating that the act was both provocative and in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Japan's top government spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, at a regular press conference described the launches as an act of provocation but called for increased restraint from the DPRK.
Suga also said that Tokyo had lodged a protest to the launches with Pyongyang.
The Japanese government earlier on Monday said it believed the missiles were launched at around 12:13 p.m. local time from a site on the DPRK's west coast.
The Defense Ministry here, having confirmed the launches, said the missiles flew for around 1,000 km before all three of them fell into the Sea of Japan, within what Japan believes to be its exclusive economic zone.
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