The United States has promised to consult with Japan before it resumes Osprey flights in the nation after suspending them following a deadly crash of one of the tilt-rotor aircraft late last year, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said Tuesday. Kihara told a press conference he understands that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has instructed the U.S. forces and relevant departments not to operate Ospreys in Japan without coordinating with the Japanese government in advance. "Ensuring the safety of Ospreys is the common top priority for Japan and the United States," Kihara added. The decision followed repeated requests from Japan, whose Ground Self-Defense Force has suspended flights of its V-22 Ospreys from the day after the accident amid public concerns over the aircraft's safety. Kihara, meanwhile, said it is hard to answer when the Osprey flights will resume and when the U.S. military will conclude the ongoing investigation into the cause of the incident, including analyzing the recovered flight recorder.

Source: The Guardian January 24, 2024 08:18 UTC