Japan says its warplanes used flares to warn a Russian reconnaissance aircraft to leave northern Japanese airspace

A Russian military patrol aircraft violated Japanese airspace near Hokkaido's Rebun Island on three separate occasions on Monday, Japan's government spokesperson said. The Japanese government has protested to Russia via diplomatic channels and demanded that it prevent any recurrence of such violations,

Japan lodged a "very serious protest" with Moscow after a Russian patrol plane entered its airspace three times, the defence minister said Monday, calling it the first confirmed incursion since 2019.