Japan scrambles fighter jets that shoot flares to warn Russian spy plane to leave airspace

Japan’s warplanes used flares to warn a Russian reconnaissance aircraft that had breached Japanese airspace near Hokkaido. This incident followed a joint fleet of Chinese and Russian warships sailing around Japanese coasts, possibly related to a joint military exercise. Japan scrambled F-15 and F-35 fighter jets and protested the violation to Russia. Japan is concerned about increasing military cooperation between China and Russia, as well as China’s assertive activity near Japanese waters. The two countries are also in a territorial dispute over Russian-held islands. Additionally, Russian and Chinese military activity near Alaska has heightened tensions, with the U.S. military responding to recent incursions.