Mon Sep 23 14:37:53 UTC 2024: ## Russian Patrol Plane Violates Japanese Airspace Three Times, Prompting Strong Protest
**Tokyo, Japan:** Japan has lodged a formal protest with Russia after a Russian Il-38 patrol plane violated its airspace three times on Monday, according to Defence Minister Minoru Kihara. The incident, which occurred north of Rebun Island, Hokkaido, marks the first publicly acknowledged Russian airspace intrusion since June 2019.
Japanese F-15 and F-35 fighter jets intercepted the Russian aircraft and issued radio warnings before firing flares during the third incursion. Kihara has demanded that the Russian government take steps to prevent such incidents from recurring.
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi emphasized that while Japan refrains from speculating on the Russian military’s motives, their activity near Japanese territory has increased since the invasion of Ukraine. Japan, a staunch Western ally, has provided financial and material support to Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Russia.
The Russian government has yet to comment on the incident. However, the latest incursion adds to a growing list of territorial disputes between Japan and Russia, which centers on the four Kuril Islands between Hokkaido and Kamchatka. Japan also maintains territorial disputes with China and Taiwan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.
This incident follows a similar incident in August when Japan scrambled fighter jets after a Chinese military aircraft entered its airspace, leading to accusations of a “serious violation” of Japanese sovereignty. China and Russia have strengthened their military ties since the start of the Ukraine conflict, culminating in joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan this month, deemed the largest in three decades.
First Piper 