The Ground Self-Defense Force said Tuesday it will suspend flights of its fleet of V-22 Osprey transport aircraft for the time being, after the U.S. military temporarily halted flights of its own V-22 fleet.
The GSDF said the United States notified it of the suspension and that it will give top priority to ensuring safety until further details are shared.
The GSDF will pause flights of its V-22 Ospreys, temporarily deployed at Camp Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture, except for duties such as deployment in a large-scale disaster.
U.S. media reported Monday that the U.S. military has suspended flights of its V-22 Osprey fleet to determine if additional safety measures are necessary after a near crash at a U.S. air base in New Mexico in November.
The November accident is believed to have been potentially caused by weakened metal components.
Osprey operations were globally suspended for months after a fatal crash involving a U.S. Air Force Osprey off the island of Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture, in November last year.
The GSDF resumed flights of its V-22 Osprey fleet on Nov. 15 following a suspension after an accident on the island of Yonaguni in Okinawa Prefecture in October.
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