A Russian military patrol aircraft violated Japanese airspace near Hokkaido's Rebun Island on three separate occasions on Monday, prompting Japan's Self-Defense Force to dispatch aircraft in an emergency response and to fire flares.

Japanese government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said a Russian military patrol aircraft violated Japanese airspace three times on Monday near the northern prefecture of Hokkaido. Japan's armed forces fired flares 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,