* Russia says no violations of international airspace rules
* Japan says flights caused U.S.-Japan planes to scramble
(Adds details, background, previous TOKYO)
MOSCOW, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Russian warplanes flew in the region of joint U.S.-Japanese military drills in the Sea of Japan but violated no airspace rules, Russia's Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday.
Ties between Japan and Russia have been strained since Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit in November to one of four Pacific islands claimed by both countries.
Japan's Sankei newspaper reported on Wednesday that Russian patrol planes this week entered airspace above the Sea of Japan where the United States and Japan were conducting drills, causing a halt to part of the exercises.
Roman Martov, a spokesman for Russia's Pacific Ocean Fleet, was quoted by Interfax as saying: "They carried out their planned flights in the region of regular activity of (Russia's) fleet".
"There were no violations of international rules of the use of airspace or flight rules on the Russian side," Martov said.
He said Ilyushin-38 airplanes, a maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft, had made the flights.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku confirmed that the Russian planes had entered the airspace on Monday but did not give details.
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara viewed the islands from a plane on Saturday. The Sankei speculated that the Russian action could have been in response to the move. (Reporting by Thomas Grove and Chisa Fujioka; Editing by Maria Golovnina)
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