Japan Warns Russia Over Violating Airspace, Fires Flares for First Time

Tokyo mounts a more aggressive response than in previous incursions by Russian planes.

TOKYO—Japanese jet fighters fired warning flares at a Russian military reconnaissance plane that violated Japan’s airspace on Monday, the first time Tokyo has taken such an aggressive stance against incursions of its airspace mostly carried out by Moscow. 

A Russian IL-38 patrol plane entered Japanese airspace three times between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. local time Monday as it flew over waters off Rebun Island, the northernmost part of Japan’s major Hokkaido island, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said.

Tokyo has lodged an “extremely stern protest” with Moscow for the violation, Hayashi added. 
Russia’s Defense Ministry didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

On Monday, Japan’s air force scrambled F-15 and F-35 jet fighters in response to the first airspace violation, and the jets began firing flares during the third one-minute incursion by Russia around 3:42 p.m.

It was the first time Japan’s air force has fired flares since it started deploying only defensive measures against airspace violations in 1958.

Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said the air force took the action only after issuing warnings to “the opponent.” He refused to comment when asked if the Russian patrol plane was flying with other Russian aircraft. The plane wasn’t undertaking particularly dangerous actions, he said.