Global Hawk Reconnaissance Drone Missing Off Tottori

Sep 15, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - A Japan Air Self-Defense Force Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft went missing over international waters about 50 kilometers north of Tottori Prefecture on September 15, with floating debris and oil later found in the area where communications were lost.

According to the Air Self-Defense Force, contact with the large unmanned aircraft, which belongs to Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, was lost at around 1 p.m.

It is not yet known whether the aircraft crashed.

The Japan Coast Guard searched the surrounding waters and confirmed floating objects and oil on the surface. Authorities are investigating whether they are connected to the missing aircraft.

The Global Hawk is remotely operated from the ground and can fly unmanned for about 36 hours. It is used for warning and surveillance missions.

Each aircraft costs about 17 billion yen.

The Air Self-Defense Force operates three Global Hawks, and this is the first time one has gone missing.

Source: 日テレNEWS

Okinawa Braces for Powerful Typhoon No. 26

Typhoon No. 26 (Surigae) is forecast to intensify into a strong typhoon with a storm-force wind zone as it approaches waters south of Okinawa around September 26, raising concerns over severe weather in the region and the possibility of further heavy rainfall across mainland Japan next week as a stationary autumn rain front remains over Honshu.

10-Vehicle Pileup Closes Kobe Expressway

A major traffic accident involving 10 vehicles, including trucks and passenger cars, left one man seriously injured and nine others with minor injuries on the Daini Shinmei Road in Kobe on September 24, forcing the closure of part of the expressway.

Asian Games Day 6: Japan Stuns China in Table Tennis

Japan celebrated two landmark performances on Day 6 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 24, with the men's table tennis team defeating China 3-2 to claim its first gold medal in 60 years and 17-year-old swimmer Shin Ohashi breaking the men's 200-meter breaststroke world record.

ANA Plane Makes Emergency Landing at Naha Airport

An All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight bound for Saga Airport made an emergency landing at Naha Airport in Okinawa at 10:05 p.m. on September 23 after developing trouble with its right engine shortly after takeoff, with some passengers suffering minor injuries during an emergency evacuation.

Asian Games Day 5 Brings Swimming Gold and Gymnastics Drama

Japan's Asian Games campaign produced another day of records and medals on September 23, with Shoon Mitsunaga setting a national record to win the men's 100-meter butterfly, both Japanese gymnastics teams taking silver behind China, and Toshikazu Yamanishi adding to the host nation's athletics medal haul.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Politics NEWS

Takaichi Finalizes LDP Appointments After Returning From US

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi returned to Japan on the morning of September 24 following talks with US President Donald Trump and immediately headed to the Prime Minister's Office to finalize key appointments within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party ahead of an extraordinary Diet session in October.

Japan-US Leaders Hold Talks, Confirm Close Coordination on China

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump held talks at United Nations headquarters in New York in the early hours of September 23 Japan time, demonstrating the strength of the Japan-US alliance and confirming close cooperation on China ahead of an upcoming US-China summit.

Takaichi, Trump Confirm Alliance Unity

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and U.S. President Donald Trump met in New York on September 22, confirming close cooperation on security and economic issues ahead of Trump’s planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Japan Warns of Anti-Japanese Sentiment Rising in China

China held commemorative events across the country on September 18 to mark the 95th anniversary of the Mukden Incident, the 1931 railway explosion that Japan's Kwantung Army used as a pretext to seize Manchuria and which became a major turning point in the deterioration of relations between Japan and China.

Takaichi Reshuffles Cabinet To Steady Markets And Party

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi launched her first cabinet reshuffle since taking office, keeping core economic, foreign-policy and security ministers in place while replacing a broad group of other ministers in an attempt to stabilize her government before a difficult autumn of tax, budget, monetary policy and diplomatic battles.

Japan Confirms Global Hawk Drone Crashed Off Tottori

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force has concluded that a large Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft that lost communication off Tottori Prefecture on September 15 crashed into the sea.

Takaichi Retains Core LDP Team

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi launched a new Liberal Democratic Party executive team on September 16, retaining most of the party’s senior leadership while pledging to unite the government and ruling party to overcome a difficult political and economic environment.

Global Hawk Reconnaissance Drone Missing Off Tottori

A Japan Air Self-Defense Force Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft went missing over international waters about 50 kilometers north of Tottori Prefecture on September 15, with floating debris and oil later found in the area where communications were lost.

< 2 3 4 5 >