 Metal fragment may have fallen off U.S. fighter jet A metal fragment believed to have fallen off a U.S. fighter was found pierced into the roof of a company in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Kanagawa Prefecture and Fujisawa City revealed this on December 8. The 241-gram metal fragment fell on the company office located in an industrial park site. The site is near a big supermarket, and it could have caused serious damage or inquiry if it had come down at a different point. Although it is not known when the object fell, the U.S. Naval Atsugi Air Station confirmed that the metal fragment is likely to be from their fighters. The Kanagawa prefectural government on December 7 requested that the U.S. forces in Japan and the Defense Facilities Administration Agency investigate the matter without delay. Recently in Yokohama City in Kanagawa, a helicopter from the U.S. carrier Kitty Hawk dropped bullets in Izumi Ward in July, and a U.S. helicopter from the U.S. Yokota Air Base in Tokyo made an emergency landing at the port site in August. An assembly member of Fujisawa City (JCP) stated that a similar parts drop took place several years ago. The U.S. must ground their fighters at least until investigation of the cause of the drop is finished, and take measures so that citizens' safety is ensured. (end) |