In a rare move, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) scrambled F-15 and F-35 fighter jets from the Northern Air Defense Forces to intercept a Russian IL-38 patrol aircraft that violated Japanese airspace.

Russian aircraft were intercepted in Japanese airspace - with Tokyo officials reporting that they fired warning flares in the direction of the aircrafts

The infringements were the first by Russia in five years, according to the Japanese defense ministry. A fighter fired a warning flare in response.

A Russian military patrol aircraft violated Japanese airspace near Hokkaido’s Rebun Island three times on Monday. Japan's government has protested to Russia through diplomatic channels, demanding prevention of future occurrences,

The Russian Il-38 maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft flew north of Rebun Island three times from 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., violating Japanese airspace with each encroach

Japanese fighter jets fired warnings flares against a Russian military aircraft that Tokyo said repeatedly entered the country’s territorial airspace, in an unprecedented move against a foreign plane.

Tokyo's defense ministry said the Russian surveillance plane violated its airspace repeatedly on Monday. China violated its airspace last month.