Japan’s fighter jets used flares for the first time to warn a Russian reconnaissance aircraft to leave its airspace, amid rising tensions over Russian-Chinese military cooperation. F-15 and F-35 warplanes were scrambled after the Russian II-38 ignored radio warnings. This was the first publicized airspace incursion by Russia since 2019. The Russian plane breached Japan’s airspace above Rebun Island three times. Japan lodged a serious protest with Russia and plans to use flares without hesitation in future violations. The incident followed a joint Chinese-Russian naval exercise near Japan.