Photo/Illutration Likely parts of an Osprey fuselage recovered from the sea are seen salvaged by the U.S. military on Dec. 27, 2023, off Yakushima island, Kagoshima Prefecture. (The Asahi Shimbun file photo)

The U.S. military plans to announce as early as March 8 that it will lift the suspension of grounded Osprey flights, according to sources.

U.S. officials conferred with Japanese officials on the evening of March 7 to adjust the timeline for resuming flights of the Osprey, which have been suspended since one crashed off Yakushima island in November.

Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters on March 8, “We are working with the U.S. side to confirm the details of the accident and safety measures.”

“Ensuring flight safety is a top priority shared by Japan and the United States, and we will work together closely to address this issue,” he said.

Exactly when these flights will resume in Japan is expected to be worked out by the U.S. and Japanese governments at a later date.

Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a news conference on March 8 that the government will decide whether the Ground Self-Defense Force will resume flying the Osprey based on safety assurance from the U.S. military.

(This article was written by Nobuhiko Tajima and Shohei Sasagawa.)

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