Japan's Defense Ministry said Monday that a Russian military aircraft violated the country's airspace three times, prompting an Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) fighter jet to fire a signal flare for the first time ever, with Tokyo lodging an "extremely stern protest" with Moscow.
An IL-38 patrol plane flew over waters in the Sea of Japan north of Rebun Island in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido three times between 1pm and 4pm, and each intrusion lasted for about 30 seconds to one minute, according to the ministry.
ASDF F-15 and F-35 fighter jets were scrambled and fired the signal flare after the third intrusion, following repeated warnings for the Russian aircraft to leave the airspace after the first violation, the ministry said.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed government officials to respond "firmly and calmly" to the airspace intrusion while closely collaborating with the United States and other nations, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.
"The violation of our nation's airspace by a Russian military patrol plane is extremely regrettable," the top government spokesman told reporters, adding that the government "strongly" called on Russia to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
Signal flares are used as a warning against intruders and are designed to disrupt enemy infrared homing missiles.
The latest move came after Japan confirmed for the first time a Chinese military spy plane violated Japanese airspace over waters in the East China Sea off islands in Nagasaki Prefecture in southwestern Japan in late August.
The Japanese Defense Ministry has also said a total of 8 Chinese and Russian naval vessels jointly sailed from the Sea of Japan to the Sea of Okhotsk from Sunday to Monday, passing through the Soya Strait between Hokkaido and Sakhalin.
Ties between Japan and Russia have deteriorated since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Tokyo has imposed economic sanctions on Moscow, aligning with actions taken by Washington and other like-minded governments.
An IL-38 patrol plane flew over waters in the Sea of Japan north of Rebun Island in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido three times between 1pm and 4pm, and each intrusion lasted for about 30 seconds to one minute, according to the ministry.
ASDF F-15 and F-35 fighter jets were scrambled and fired the signal flare after the third intrusion, following repeated warnings for the Russian aircraft to leave the airspace after the first violation, the ministry said.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed government officials to respond "firmly and calmly" to the airspace intrusion while closely collaborating with the United States and other nations, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.
"The violation of our nation's airspace by a Russian military patrol plane is extremely regrettable," the top government spokesman told reporters, adding that the government "strongly" called on Russia to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
Signal flares are used as a warning against intruders and are designed to disrupt enemy infrared homing missiles.
The latest move came after Japan confirmed for the first time a Chinese military spy plane violated Japanese airspace over waters in the East China Sea off islands in Nagasaki Prefecture in southwestern Japan in late August.
The Japanese Defense Ministry has also said a total of 8 Chinese and Russian naval vessels jointly sailed from the Sea of Japan to the Sea of Okhotsk from Sunday to Monday, passing through the Soya Strait between Hokkaido and Sakhalin.
Ties between Japan and Russia have deteriorated since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Tokyo has imposed economic sanctions on Moscow, aligning with actions taken by Washington and other like-minded governments.
