In a first, fighter jets in Japan fired flares at a Russian reconnaissance aircraft as a warning after it allegedly breached the nation’s airspace multiple times, according to Tokyo’s Defense Ministry.

Japan is strongly alarmed by recent airspace breaches by China and Russia and other military activities by them around the country, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said Tuesday. Kihara's remarks came a day after a Russian military patrol plane flew over waters in the Sea of Japan north of Hokkaido

The infringements were the first by Russia in five years, according to the Japanese defense ministry. A fighter fired a warning flare in response.