Japanese lawmakers have launched a group to investigate UFO sightings, following a report from the U.S. Defense Department that identified the region as a hotspot for such sightings. The non-partisan group, comprising former defense ministers and over 80 members, aims to urge Japan to enhance its abilities to detect and analyze unidentified anomalous phenomena, more commonly known as UFOs or unidentified flying objects. This move is in response to several scares related to suspected surveillance operations and unauthorized drone intrusions into military facilities.
The Pentagon has been examining an increasing number of UFO reports, with 510 reports in 2022, more than triple the number in the previous year. The Japanese parliamentarians are seeking to align the country’s perception of UFOs with that of its ally, the United States. Although UFOs have long been seen as an occult matter in Japan, there is a growing recognition that they could potentially be surveillance drones or weapons disguised as harmless objects, posing a significant threat to national security.
The U.S. Defense Department established the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to investigate UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), and launched a website to provide the public with declassified information about these mysterious objects. The AARO report designated the region from western Japan to China as a hotspot for UAP sightings. The Japanese lawmakers are advocating for the creation of a similar organization in Japan and for increased intelligence cooperation with the United States to address the challenges posed by advancements in unmanned weapons and artificial intelligence.
In the U.S., Congress has shown a heightened interest in learning more about the detection and reporting of UAPs, and held a public hearing last summer featuring testimony from a former intelligence officer and two pilots. An independent group of scientists and experts convened by NASA found no evidence that UAPs are extraterrestrial in nature, but emphasized the need for better data to understand encounters that defy explanation. The Japanese lawmakers’ initiative to probe UFO sightings reflects a broader global effort to better understand and address the implications of unidentified aerial phenomena on national security and public safety.
