TOKYO: Japan’s Defense Minister KIHARA Minoru said Tuesday that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has instructed related sections of the Defense Department to consult with the Japanese side before resuming Osprey operations in Japan.

The US military’s Osprey transport aircraft in Japan have been grounded following the crash of an Air Force CV-22 Osprey off the island of Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Nov. 29, 2023.

“It’s difficult to say as of this moment” when the operations will resume, Kihara told a press conference.

According to Kihara, the US military has recovered most of the debris of the crashed aircraft and is currently analyzing and investigating the incident.

JIJI Press