Japan has reportedly lodged a strong protest with North Korea over its recent short-range missile launches, calling it a violation of UN Security Council(UNSC) resolutions. 

According to Japan's Kyodo News, Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya told reporters on Monday that based on its comprehensive review of collected data, the Tokyo government has assessed the projectiles launched by North Korea last week as short-range ballistic missiles.

The minister said that it's a violation of UNSC sanctions, which he said is "very regrettable." Tokyo reportedly delivered its protest to North Korea through a diplomatic channel in Beijing.

The Japanese minister added Tokyo is still analyzing the range and apogee of the missiles. He also said that North Korea is seeking to advance its ballistic missile technology, and that Japan will continue efforts to enhance its anti-missile defense system by introducing Aegis Ashore, a land-based missile defense system.

[Photo : YONHAP News]