Photo/Illutration The Genkai Nuclear Power Station in Genkai, Saga Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Authorities are trying to identify a possible drone intruder that was spotted over the Genkai Nuclear Power Station in Saga Prefecture over the weekend, raising concerns about the security of critical infrastructure.

The incident began around 9 p.m. on July 26 when security guards reported seeing three lights hovering over the plant’s main gate, according to Kyushu Electric Power Co., the plant operator.

Local police officers stationed at the plant also confirmed seeing the lights, which are believed to have remained in the area for about two hours. They were last observed at 10:53 p.m. on the south side of the facility.

The lights were not captured on any security cameras at the site.

An extensive search that followed found no drones or other aerial devices in the area. Kyushu Electric reported that no abnormalities were detected in the plant’s equipment or operations following the incident.

For security reasons, unmanned aerial vehicles are strictly prohibited from entering the airspace around nuclear plants.

It remains unknown whether the lights came from three separate flying objects in formation or a single device equipped with multiple lights, according to the briefing given by Kyushu Electric officials on July 28 to the municipality of Genkai, which hosts the plant.

The authorities’ response highlighted the incident’s unusual nature and the resulting confusion.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority initially reported the event as a potential threat to the plant on its emergency information website at 10:30 p.m. on July 26.

In less than two hours, it issued an update stating that three drones had been confirmed flying over the plant.

However, that statement was later corrected around noon on July 27, clarifying that only “three lights, possibly drones,” had been observed.

(This article was written by Ikko Ishida, Hiroshi Morita and Shinya Matsumoto.)

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