Japan's defense minister said the use of flares was a legitimate response to airspace violation and "we plan to use it without hesitation."

Russian patrol aircraft were intercepted by Japanese fighter jets after Moscow's planes violated the Western-ally's airspace, Tokyo has said.

After a Russian military patrol aircraft violated Japanese airspace, Japan's Self-Defense Force dispatched an aircraft that, for the first time, fired flares in 'an anti-airspace violation action.'