Japan calls Russia’s denial of alleged airspace intrusion ‘extremely regrettable’

Moscow had earlier claimed one of its military aircraft did not violate Japanese airspace near the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, with Maria Zakharova, director of the Russian foreign ministry’s information and press department, telling an online press conference on Wednesday that Moscow could not confirm the alleged flight over waters in the Sea of Japan by an IL-38 patrol plane on September 23.

In the Russian government’s first official comment on the suspected airspace breach, the ministry spokeswoman said Moscow had rejected Japan’s protest, which had been made through diplomatic channels.

Japan has alleged the Russian aircraft intruded the nation’s airspace north of Rebun Island three times, with each intrusion lasting about 30 seconds to one minute, prompting air self-defence force fighter jets to fire a signal flare for the first time.

Japan-Russia relations have worsened since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Tokyo has implemented economic sanctions on Moscow in lockstep with Washington and other like-minded countries.