Tokyo protests against airspace violation by 'Russian' jet
Japan has lodged a protest against Russia after Tokyo dispatched four warplanes to intercept an intruding airplane -- believed to be Russian -- which violated the Southeast Asian country’s airspace for a short time.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry made the protest soon after the aircraft entered the country’s airspace off the coast of the northernmost island of Hokkaido on Tuesday afternoon.
"We made the protest through the Russian embassy in Tokyo," a foreign ministry official said, adding that “the Russian side did not confirm the case, only saying they will check."
The Japanese Air Force scrambled its fighter jets to head off the intruder, which it considered to be Russian, after examining its course, a defense ministry official said.
The plane left toward the disputed Kuril Islands, claimed by Tokyo but controlled by Moscow, sixteen seconds after entering Japanese airspace, the defense ministry noted.
Following Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II in 1945, the Soviet troops took control of the four islands, which lie north of Japan's Hokkaido Island.
According to the ministry, it was the first time a Russian plane entered Japan’s airspace since August 2013, when two Tu-95 Russian bomber aircraft were intercepted off Okinoshima Island in southwestern Japan.
Starbucks closes 50 stores in Malaysia amid anti-Israel boycott drive
Iran, Azerbaijan top brass underline military, defense cooperation
New Zealand: Maori MPs protest in parliament with Haka war dance
‘Extremely critical’ to avoid Syria being dragged into war: UN evnoy
What led to dilly-dallying in ICC arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant
Palestinians flee Gaza City suburb after Israel issues forced evacuation order
Iran says will discuss key nuclear, regional issues with France, Germany, UK
VIDEO | Israeli archaeologist killed in Southern Lebanon
VIDEO | Israeli airstrike on Lebanon's army base kills soldier, injures 18 others
VIDEO | Sirens sound across Tel Aviv as Hezbollah fires barrage of missiles at Israeli target
Israeli ‘archeologist’ who toured south Lebanon in military uniform to falsify history
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
