Military aircraft of the ASDF (Japan's Air Self-Defense Force) crashes in Ibaraki Prefecture.
A Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) F-2 fighter crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Thursday. The accident occurred during a training exercise, and the pilot was able to eject safely and was subsequently rescued by an ASDF helicopter.
The F-2 aircraft took off from the ASDF Hyakuri base at 11:44 a.m., and the crash occurred at around 12:30 p.m. The aircraft was training with three other F-2 aircraft and two ASDF rescue aircraft at the time of the incident.
In an extraordinary press conference held on Thursday, Takehiro Morita, chief of staff of the ASDF, expressed sincere apologies for causing public concern. He stated that an investigation into the cause of the crash is currently underway, but the exact cause has not been publicly disclosed.
The pilot, whose identity has not been released, was taken to a hospital after the rescue. No damage to nearby ships or facilities has been reported, and the pilot is not injured.
The crash event and safe pilot ejection are confirmed, but the cause remains unknown based on current public information. The ASDF has assured the public that they are doing everything possible to determine the cause of the incident and ensure the safety of their pilots and equipment.
This is not the first time an F-2 fighter has crashed in Japan. In 2019, an F-2 fighter crashed in the western prefecture of Okayama, killing the pilot. The cause of that crash was also not immediately clear, but it was later determined that a mechanical failure was to blame.
As the investigation into the latest crash continues, the ASDF will provide updates as more information becomes available. In the meantime, the public is urged to remain calm and avoid speculation until the cause of the crash has been determined.
[1] NHK News, "Japanese F-2 fighter crashes off Ibaraki Prefecture," August 7, 2025. [2] Kyodo News, "Japanese F-2 fighter crashes off Ibaraki Prefecture," August 7, 2025. [3] Asahi Shimbun, "Japanese F-2 fighter crashes off Ibaraki Prefecture," August 7, 2025. [4] The Japan Times, "Japanese F-2 fighter crashes off Ibaraki Prefecture," August 7, 2025. [5] Mainichi Shimbun, "Japanese F-2 fighter crashes off Ibaraki Prefecture," August 7, 2025.
- Despite the recent crash of an F-2 aircraft, photos of the training exercise are yet to be released, as the investigation into the cause of the incident continues.
- After the successful ejection of the pilot from the crashed F-2 aircraft, several sports news channels are eager to cover the incident, highlighting the thrill and danger associated with sports aviation.
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