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.

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

Japanese jet fighters fired warning flares at a Russian military reconnaissance plane that violated Japan’s airspace, the first time Tokyo has taken such an aggressive stance against incursions of its airspace.