An F-2A fighter jet of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the eastern coast of the country during a training flight on Thursday. According to ASDF officials, the pilot, in his 30s, activated the ejection system and safely escaped the aircraft before the crash.
The incident reportedly occurred around 12:35 PM near Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of the capital Tokyo. The aircraft had taken off from Hyakuri Air Base around 11:45 AM and was flying together with another F-2A jet of the same type when the pilot reported an anomaly.
Following the incident, the ASDF decided to temporarily ground 90 F-2 fighter jets, except for those already in use for emergency missions such as responding to airspace violations. This step is considered a precaution to prevent possible technical failures.
Aircraft debris was found in the crash area, but no damage was reported on civilian or military vessels nearby.
Connection to Previous Accidents
This latest incident adds to a series of accidents involving Japanese military aircraft. Previously, in May, a T-4 training jet belonging to the ASDF crashed into a water reservoir in Aichi Prefecture, killing two pilots.
ASDF Chief of Staff Takehiro Morita apologized to the public during a press conference held in Tokyo regarding the F-2A crash. Morita stated that the investigation is being conducted thoroughly and emphasized that “every effort will be made” to locate the flight data recorder and determine the exact cause of the crash.
