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

Japan said a Russian surveillance plane violated its airspace three times on Monday.The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighters and fired flares in response.A Chinese military plane violated Japan's airspace last month.

TOKYO: Japanese fighter jets fired warning flares against a Russian military aircraft that Tokyo said repeatedly entered the country’s territorial airspace, in an unprecedented move against a foreign plane.