MOSCOW, July 5 (RIA Novosti) - A senior member of Russia's lower house of parliament said Wednesday that sanctions against North Korea, which conducted several missile tests Tuesday night, would be incorrect in form and substance.

Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the State Duma's international affairs committee, said UN member countries would share assessments of the move at Security Council discussions, but would propose different measures in response.

"Assessments will certainly be negative," Kosachev said. "All [member] countries without exception that have followed developments in North Korea and around it undoubtedly believe that the tests are a counterproductive factor that could ruin consultations on the country's nuclear program, a process that has been complicated by other factors."

Japan requested a closed session of the Security Council to discuss the matter. Tokyo, which has already announced a ban on visits by North Korean ferries, also said it was considering urgent measures, including economic sanctions, against the communist state.

But Kosachev said North Korea's tests had not violated international law.

He added that harsh international sanctions had already been imposed on North Korea, which announced in 2005 it had nuclear weapons, and new punitive measures would have little effect and could further marginalize the country.

Earlier Wednesday, North Korea officially announced that it had conducted test launches of ballistic missiles, saying it was the country's sovereign right. It launched the missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2, despite a 2002 moratorium with Japan.

The Japanese military said the missiles had fallen into the northwest of the Sea of Japan.

Initial reports suggested six missiles had been fired. But General Yury Baluyevsky, Russia's Chief of the General Staff, said North Korea may have fired 10 missiles and the Russian military were processing data on their quality and characteristics.