Japanese jets intercepted Russian planes firing flares as a warning, Tokyo has said. 

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi held an emergency press conference earlier today on the clash. He said the Russian planes violated Japanese airspace north of Rebun Island in Hokkaido three times between 1pm and 3pm local time today.

He called the incident “deeply regrettable” and said Japan had lodged a strong protest. 

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force deployed fighter jets issued a warning using flares.

This is not the first time Russian airmen have violated Western airspace. In June this year, Swedish fighters intercepted a Russian military aircraft that had entered its airspace over the Baltic island of Gotland.