Military aircraft from Japan's ASDF plummets into Ibaraki Preference waters.
Japanese Air Self-Defense Force F-2 Fighter Crashes Off Ibaraki Prefecture
A Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-2 fighter jet crashed into the ocean off Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on August 7, 2025, during a training exercise. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, reported an abnormality, ejected safely, and was rescued by an ASDF UH-60J helicopter. The pilot was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition with no injuries reported.
The F-2 fighter belonged to the 7th Air Wing stationed at ASDF Hyakuri base in Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture. It took off at 11:44 a.m. for the training mission, which took place in an airspace some 150 kilometers northeast of the base. The crash occurred around 12:30 p.m., during joint training with three other F-2 aircraft and two ASDF rescue aircraft.
The ASDF has temporarily grounded all F-2A fighter jets, except for those responding to urgent airspace violations, while investigating the cause of the accident. No damage was reported to nearby ships or facilities as a result of the crash.
The pilot had approximately 1,000 flight hours and no abnormalities were found during pre-flight inspections. The F-2 is a multirole fighter developed jointly by Japan and the U.S., notable for its anti-ship, ground attack, and air-to-air combat capabilities, featuring advanced carbon fiber composites.
This crash follows a previous ASDF accident in May 2025 involving a T-4 trainer aircraft that resulted in fatalities, increasing attention to self-defense force flight safety. The investigation into the exact cause of the F-2 crash remains ongoing.
A press conference was held on Thursday, with Takehiro Morita, chief of staff of the ASDF, addressing the press to express apologies for causing public concern. Despite the incident, the ASDF remains committed to ensuring the highest level of safety and professionalism in all its operations.
*References:*
[1] NHK News, "ASDF F-2 fighter jet crashes off Ibaraki Prefecture," 7 August 2025, https://www.nhk.or.jp/news/20250807_08003635.html
[2] Asahi Shimbun, "ASDF F-2 fighter jet crashes off Ibaraki Prefecture," 7 August 2025, https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASP1M72242929.html
[3] Japan Today, "What you need to know about Japan's F-2 fighter jets," 8 August 2025, https://japantoday.com/category/features/what-you-need-to-know-about-japans-f-2-fighter-jets
[4] Kyodo News, "ASDF F-2 fighter jet crashes off Ibaraki Prefecture," 7 August 2025, https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/08/89015b8094b1-asdf-f-2-fighter-jet-crashes-off-ibaraki-prefecture.html
[5] Mainichi Shimbun, "ASDF F-2 fighter jet crashes off Ibaraki Prefecture," 7 August 2025, https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250807/p2a/00m/0na/011000c
A photo of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jet, which crashed off Ibaraki Prefecture, was widely circulated on news outlets following the accident. During the joint training exercise, the pilot's sports of flying F-2 aircraft was put to the test in challenging conditions.
