Japanese lawmakers have formed a non-partisan group to investigate UFO sightings, arguing that these phenomena should not be dismissed as they could represent surveillance drones or weapons. The group, which includes over 80 members and former defense ministers, aims to enhance Japan’s capabilities to detect and analyze unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP).
Despite UFOs often being linked to extraterrestrial life in popular culture, the topic has gained political significance, especially in the United States. Washington reported investigating 510 UFO cases last year, tripling the number from 2021. NASA also emphasized the need to transition the discussion from sensationalism to scientific inquiry.
Japanese legislators seek to align domestic perceptions of UAPs with those of their U.S. counterparts, especially after incidents suggestive of surveillance activities. “It is extremely irresponsible of us to be resigned to the fact that something is unknowable, and to keep turning a blind eye to the unidentified,” stated former defense minister Yasukazu Hamada.
Recently, Japan’s defense ministry faced embarrassment when unauthorized footage of a helicopter destroyer was posted on Chinese social media, likely from a drone intrusion. The ministry also suspects that recent sightings of flying objects in Japanese skies were surveillance balloons from China.
Historically, UFOs in Japan have been considered an “occult matter” unrelated to politics, according to opposition lawmaker Yoshiharu Asakawa. However, if these objects are advanced secret weapons or disguised spy drones, they could pose a significant threat to national security.
In response to similar concerns, the U.S. Department of Defense established the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in 2022 to investigate UAP sightings. AARO’s report identified the region from western Japan to China as a “hotspot” for such phenomena from 1996 to 2023, though it found no evidence of alien technology or a government cover-up.
The Japanese lawmakers plan to advocate for the creation of a Japanese equivalent to the Pentagon’s AARO and to strengthen intelligence collaboration with the United States. Christopher Mellon, a UAP expert and former U.S. intelligence official, praised the initiative, highlighting the importance of understanding modern unmanned weapons and artificial intelligence, as demonstrated by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Mellon noted that incidents like the mysterious drone intrusions at a U.S. Air Force base last December, which remain unexplained, underscore the need for a dedicated effort to study UAPs.
