The Defense Ministry said on Thursday that Russian bombers had violated southern Japanese airspace, prompting Air Self-Defense Force fighters to scramble and escort the planes out of the area.

Two Tu-95 bombers entered Japanese airspace near Minamidaito Island in Okinawa Prefecture for about three minutes from around 8:55 a.m. on Thursday, the ministry said.

One of them re-entered, flying near Hachijo Island in the Izu island chain, south of Tokyo, for around two minutes just past 10:20 a.m., the ministry said, adding that there were no dangerous maneuvers.

The two bombers were spotted flying southward from the Sea of Japan through the Tsushima Strait between Japan’s southwest and South Korea in the morning, and then later turning north over waters near Okinawa Prefecture, the ministry said.

The government lodged a “stern protest” with Russia, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The Russian Defense Ministry denied a violation had occurred, Russia’s Tass news agency reported, citing the ministry as saying the “flight was carried out in strict compliance with the international rules” and “without any violations of the borders of other states.”

Two ASDF fighters “escorted” the bombers during parts of the over 14-hour flight of the Russian aircraft, according to the Tass report.

In September 2015, what appeared to be a Russian aircraft violated northern Japanese airspace off the Nemuro Peninsula on Hokkaido, according to Japan’s Defense Ministry. The area is near Kunashiri Island and the Habomai islet group, two of four Russian-controlled islands that are claimed by Japan. </s> June 21 (UPI) -- Russian bombers violated Japanese airspace, prompting a scramble of fighter planes to escort them away, Japan's defense ministry said.

Two Tu-95 bombers entered Japanese airspace near Minamidaito Island in Okinawa Prefecture on Thursday morning for about three minutes, and one later re-entered the airspace for about two minutes near Hachijo Island in the Izu island chain, the ministry said. It added no dangerous maneuvers were observed.

The planes were later seen flying southward from the Sea of Japan through the Tsushima Strait between Japan and South Korea in the morning.

A "stern protest" against Russia was lodged over the incident, the Japanese Foreign Ministry later said. Russia insisted that the planes did not violate Japan's airspace but flew over international waters during a 14-hour flight.

"Two strategic bombers Tupolev-95MS of Russia's Aerospace Force flew a routine mission in the airspace over the international waters of the Sea of Japan and the East China and South China seas as well as the western part of the Pacific Ocean," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday. "The flight was carried out in strict compliance with the international rules of using international airspace, without any violations of the borders of other states."

Japan did not report the number of fighter planes it used to divert the Russian planes.

A report by Japan's Defense Ministry said its fighter jets had scrambled nearly 1,000 times against foreign aircraft approaching Japanese airspace in the year ending on March 31. Over 340 incidents involved Russian aircraft and 638 involved Chinese planes, it said. </s> The Japanese military says its fighter jets were forced to scramble after two Russian military aircraft violated its airspace.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement on June 20 that two Russian TU-95 bombers approached southern Japanese islands, including Kyushu, from the north before heading north toward the Japanese mainland.

The ministry said one of the bombers violated Japanese airspace twice over the Daito Islands near Okinawa and near Hachijo Island, south of the capital, Tokyo.

The two aircraft then flew along northeastern Japan and the island of Hokkaido before returning to Russia, the ministry said.

The Russian military did not immediately comment on the report.

A recent report by the Japanese ministry said its fighter jets had scrambled nearly 1,000 times against foreign aircraft approaching its airspace in the past fiscal year ending on March 31.

More than 340 incidents involved Russian aircraft and 638 involved Chinese planes, it said.

U.S., NATO, and Russian militaries regular report incidents of foreign aircraft violating or coming near their airspace, forcing planes to scramble in defense. No shooting incidents have been reported. </s> Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) reports that two nuclear-capable Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS strategic bombers have violated the country’s airspace off the Japanese island of Minamidaitō southeast of Okinawa and off Hachijō island in the Philippine Sea on June 20.

According to the MoD, a total of three Tu-95MS bombers conducted a long-range patrol along the eastern and western rims of the Japanese archipelago circumventing all major islands — Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu–in the course of the flight.

It is unclear whether the Russian bombers were accompanied by fighter aircraft during today’s long-range aerial patrol. Given the distance flown it is likely that the Tu-95MSs received midair refueling while on their mission.

Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) reportedly scrambled fighter jets to intercept the Russian military aircraft. In response to the Japanese allegations, the Russian MoD claimed later that there were no border violations during the flight operation.

Russian strategic bombers periodically circumvent the Japanese archipelago during long-range patrols. Russia only resumed regular long-range aerial patrols in East Asia in 2014 following an over a decade-long hiatus that began in the 1990s.

The Russian MoD usually refers to these flight operations as “routine flights” conducted in “strict accordance with international rules of using airspace, without any violations of the borders of other countries.”

The last reported violation of Japanese airspace by a Russian military aircraft took place in September 2015 off the South Kuril Islands, located in the Sea of Okhotsk in the Northwest Pacific. The island chain has been subject to a long-standing territorial dispute between Russia and Japan.

The JASDF conducted 343 scrambles against Russian military aircraft in fiscal year 2018, which ended this March. This constitutes a decline in comparison to fiscal year 2017, when the service scrambled fighter jets to intercept Russian military planes 390 times.

In February 2019, JASDF fighters intercepted four Tu-95MS strategic bombers and four Sukhoi Su-35S (Flanker-E+) multirole fighter jets flying in two separate formations over the east and west coasts of Japan.

The last reported JASDF scramble against Russian military took place on May 3 when two Tupolev Tu-142MZ maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, conducting a long-range patrol in the Sea of Japan and East China Sea, were intercepted by Japanese fighter jets.

The increased Russian operational tempo in East Asia has led to a number of accidents this year.

“A pair of Su-34 fighter-bombers crashed into the Sea of Japan after reportedly colliding with each other off the coast in Russia’s Far East on January 18 (…),” I reported in February of this year.“Additionally, a Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-22M3 supersonic bomber crashed at Olenegorsk airbase, in Russia’s northwestern region of Murmansk killing three crew members, on January 22.”

The Tu-95MS is an improved version of the older Tu-95, a Soviet-era four-engine, long-range, turboprop, strategic bomber that can be armed with stand-off missiles including the Kh-101/Kh-102 (nuclear variant) air-launched cruise missile or the Kh-55 subsonic air-launched cruise missile. </s> South Korea's Defense Ministry on Tuesday said its fighter jets fired hundreds of warning shots after Russian and Chinese planes entered the country's airspace.

The Russian and Chinese warplanes were flying in the first joint operation of its kind, according to Moscow. South Korea scrambled F-16 fighters to intercept the Russian and Chinese warplanes, saying they were not authorized to enter its airspace.

"The South Korean military took tactical action including dropping flares and firing warning shots," the South Korean ministry said.

The alleged airspace violation occurred over the Dokdo islets, which are occupied by South Korea but also claimed by Japan. Tokyo also lodged complaints with South Korea and Russia.

Read more: Can Chinese weapons contribute to peace in Africa?

'Perfecting' joint actions

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry denied that its aircraft had illegally entered South Korean airspace. It said the joint operation was part of a new air patrol between Russia and China.

"The joint patrol was carried out with the aim of deepening Russian-Chinese relations within our all-encompassing partnership, of further increasing cooperation between our armed forces, and of perfecting their capabilities to carry out joint actions, and of strengthening global strategic security," the ministry said.

From the Sea of Japan to the South China Sea, tensions between regional military powers have risen over the past decade.

South Korea said the incident was the first time since fighting ended in the 1950-53 Korean War that a foreign military aircraft had entered its airspace without permission.

Read more: Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping talk Russia-China relations

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Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers were conducting drills in the area

ls,cw,jm/se (AP, Reuters, AFP) </s> A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress takes off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, after a short deployment Dec. 17, 2016.

MOSCOW — The Russian military said it scrambled a fighter jet Tuesday to intercept and escort a U.S. strategic bomber flying over the Baltic alongside the Russian border.

Russia's Defense Ministry said Russian radars spotted an aircraft flying along the border and a Su-27 fighter took off to intercept it. It said the Russian pilot identified the plane as a U.S. B-52 bomber and escorted it at a safe distance until it flew further away from the Russian border.

U.S. Lt. Col. David Faggard, a spokesman for U.S. Forces Europe, said the B-52 was conducting a routine mission in international airspace over the Baltic when it was intercepted by the Russian fighter. Such intercepts happen routinely, Faggard said.

The bomber, normally based in Barksdale, Louisiana, is currently stationed at RAF Fairford in Britain in support of NATO exercises.

The B-52 had its transponders on and would have been identifiable to air traffic controllers at the time of the encounter, Faggard said.

In a separate incident, a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet was dispatched Tuesday to intercept a Norwegian maritime surveillance aircraft flying over the Barents Sea near the Russian border, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Both Russia and NATO routinely scramble their fighters to intercept each other's planes flying over international waters.

In September, a Russian fighter jet flew within 10 feet (3 meters) of a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft, in what American officials called an unsafe intercept over the Black Sea. In another dramatic incident last year, Russian jets buzzed over the USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea, coming within 30 feet of the American warship.

Frank Jordans and David Rising in Berlin contributed to this report. </s> SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea said its air force jets fired warning shots on Tuesday to ward off a Russian military plane that intruded upon its territorial airspace, the first such encounter between the countries in decades.

Three Russian military planes, as well as two Chinese warplanes, entered South Korea’s air defense identification zone off its east coast, where foreign military aircraft must identify themselves in advance to South Korea, the South’s military said.

But one of the Russian planes flew closer to South Korea, intruding twice into its territorial airspace near Dokdo, a cluster of South Korean-held islets that are also claimed by Japan and are known as Takeshima to the Japanese, the South Korean military said.

Both times, the Russian plane violated South Korea’s airspace for a few minutes, prompting South Korean F-15 and F-16 fighter jets operating nearby to fire warning shots, the officials said. </s> The Russian Defence Ministry said Thursday that a Russian Tu-95MS tagged Japanese fighters at certain stages of Russia's planned flight over the Pacific Ocean.

"Two Tu-95MS strategic bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a planned flight over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, South China Sea and western part of the Pacific Ocean ... During certain stages of the route the Russian planes were shadowed by Japanese F-2 and F-15 fighters," the ministry said in a statement adding that the flight lasted for more than 14 hours.

The ministry stressed that the flight was carried out in full accordance with international law, and the rules for the use of airspace over neutral waters, without illegal crossing the Japanese airspace borders.

The NHK broadcaster reported Thursday that fighters of the Japan Self-Defence Forces took off to shadow the Russian plane, which had allegedly entered Japan's airspace.

The incidents occurred near Okinawa and the island of Hachijo-jima in the southern part of Japan, the Kyodo news agency reported.

Russian strategic and long-range aircraft regularly carry out flights over the Arctic region, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the Black Sea. The Russian Defenсe Ministry has repeatedly said that all flights of Russian military aircraft are carried out in full accordance with international law, and the rules for the use of airspace over neutral waters. </s> Japanese F-2 and F-15 fighters shadowed Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers during certain stages of the latter's planned flight over the Pacific Ocean, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th June, 2019) Japanese F-2 and F-15 fighters shadowed Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers during certain stages of the latter's planned flight over the Pacific Ocean, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Japanese media reported that the a Russian bomber had twice illegally crossed the border of the Japanese airspace.

"Two Tu-95MS strategic bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a planned flight over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, South China Sea and western part of the Pacific Ocean .

.. During certain stages of the route the Russian planes were shadowed by Japanese F-2 and F-15 fighters," the ministry said in a statement adding that the flight lasted for more than 14 hours.

The ministry stressed that the flight was carried out in full accordance with international law, and the rules for the use of airspace over neutral waters, without illegal crossing the Japanese airspace borders. </s> Six missing after two US military planes crash off Japan

TOKYO: Six US marines were missing after two American military aircraft crashed on Thursday during a refuelling operation off the coast of Japan, said officials.

The two planes -- an F-18 fighter and a C-130 tanker -- were involved in a "mishap about 200 miles off of the coast of Japan around 2:00 am" according to a statement from the US Marines in Japan.

A US defense official told AFP there had been a crash after the plane took off from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in southern Japan.

A spokesman for Japan´s Self-Defense Forces said that one of the airmen had been rescued but the immediate fate of the remaining crew members was unclear.

The crew member was being assessed by doctors, the Marine statement said, adding that "the search and rescue operations continue for the remaining six."

The C-130 was thought to be carrying five servicemen and the F-18 two, said the Japanese official, who added that Japan had scrambled four aircraft and three ships in the search.

US media also reported five crew on the C-130 and two on the F-18.

"We are thankful for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force´s efforts as they immediately responded in the search and rescue operation," the Marines said.

The planes took off from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in southern Japan and were "conducting regularly scheduled training when the mishap occurred," the statement said.

The circumstances of the mishap are currently under investigation, the military added.

The US military has about 50,000 troops stationed in Japan and accidents are not uncommon.

In November, a US navy fighter jet crashed into the sea off Japan´s southern island of Okinawa and its two crew members were rescued alive.

The US military has also experienced difficulties with its Osprey helicopters, with several emergency landings, a deadly crash and a piece of the chopper falling on the grounds of a Japanese school.

Those incidents have stoked tensions between close military allies Washington and Tokyo and led to protests against the deployment of Ospreys by residents living near US bases.
Japan's Defense Ministry says Russian Air Force bombers violated southern Japanese airspace, prompting Japan Air Self-Defense Force fighters to scramble and escort the planes out of the area.