Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada urged the United States to “take all necessary measures to ensure the safety” of MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance and strike drones after one of these UAVs skidded off the runway at the Japan Self-Defense Forces air base.
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“We urge the United States to take all possible measures to guarantee the safety of its aircraft. It is extremely important not to create cause for concern among the local population,” the Japanese minister stressed during a press conference.
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The incident with an American drone occurred on the morning of August 22 at the air base of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kanoya. After landing, the UAV rolled out of the GDP. There were no casualties as a result of the incident, but the base management had to close the runway for three hours.
The cause of the incident has not yet been reported.
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Since last November, eight American MQ-9 Reaper drones have been based at the Kanoya base in Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. Their placement, as noted by the Japanese media, is aimed at strengthening intelligence capabilities against the background of China’s intensified actions in the area of the Nansei Islands.
