Suspected Russian Helicopter Enters Japan's Northern Airspace; Tokyo Lodges Protest

A suspected Russian helicopter entered Japan's northern airspace on Wednesday morning.

After scrambling the fighter jets, Tokyo has lodged a diplomatic protest with Moscow over the issue.

Japan's defence ministry claimed that the suspected Russian helicopter flew into its territorial airspace off the northern Hokkaido Island.

“We lodged a protest with the Russian government today through a diplomatic channel and called for a halt to such acts,” Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told the media, as reported by AFP.

Matsuno further added, “Russia's increasing activity near and in our territorial waters and airspace is worrying.”

Apparently, Japan regularly sends jets to defend its territorial airspace as it is embroiled in border disputes with multiple neighbours.

The Japan Air Self-Defence Force scrambled an unspecified number of jets and sent out warnings as well for the concerned helicopter to leave.

The local media has reported that the Japanese defence ministry is assessing the intent of the flight.

They are also trying to derive whether the move was in connection to Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Japan and the other G7 countries have been pressurising Russia over their invasion of Ukraine.