Japan scrambles jets after Russian planes spotted over Sea of Japan, East China Sea

Japan's defence ministry said on Friday it scrambled fighter jets after two Russian IL-38 information-gathering aircraft were spotted flying back and forth between the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.

The Russian air force activity in an area also near South Korea and China came a day after Japan spotted Russian and Chinese naval ships crossing waters between the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyako.