Latest news with #HiroakiUchikura
Japan Times
23-05-2025
- General
- Japan Times
Two ASDF crew members confirmed dead in training plane crash in Aichi
The Air Self-Defense Force confirmed on Thursday that the remains recovered from a training plane crash last week were those of two crew members. The ASDF's T-4 training aircraft crashed near a lake in Aichi Prefecture immediately after taking off from the Komaki Air Base last week. "The deaths of its two crew members were confirmed today," Hiroaki Uchikura, head of the ASDF, told a news conference. "It is gut-wrenching that we lost the precious lives of our comrades," Uchikura said. A search after the crash soon led to the discovery of what appeared to be remains, but officials could not immediately identify them. However, "a subsequent official analysis confirmed, much to our sorrow, that they belong to the two soldiers on board whom we had been looking for," Uchikura said. He said he "takes the accident seriously" and that the ASDF "will do our best to identify the cause and improve aviation safety." The T-4 seats two and is a "domestically produced, highly reliable and maintainable training aircraft ... used for all basic flight courses," according to the Defense Ministry website. Aerial footage of the lake soon after the crash, broadcast by NHK, showed an oil slick on its surface dotted with what appeared to be debris.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Japan's air force confirms the deaths of 2 crew in a training plane crash
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's air force chief on Thursday confirmed the deaths of two service members whose training aircraft crashed last week. The T-4 plane with two aboard crashed into a reservoir minutes after takeoff from Komaki Air Base in the central Japanese prefecture of Aichi on May 14. Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura told reporters Thursday that autopsies showed that the two, aged 29 and 31 years, died two minutes after takeoff. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The air force grounded all remaining 196 of the training planes for emergency inspection. The crash is the latest in a series of defense aircraft accidents in recent years and comes at a time when Japan is accelerating a military buildup to deter China's growing influence in the region. Japan has doubled its defense spending, raising concern that funding for weapons may be prioritized over safety.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Two confirmed dead following Japanese training plane crash
Two Japanese air force members died shortly after their training aircraft crashed last week, the air force chief confirmed on Thursday. The T-4 plane, carrying two crew members, crashed into a reservoir minutes after taking off from Komaki Air Base in central Japan's Aichi prefecture on May 14. Autopsies revealed both crew members, aged 29 and 31, died just two minutes after takeoff, according to Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, prompting the grounding of all 196 remaining T-4 training aircraft for emergency inspections. Witnesses at the time told the NHK national broadcaster that they heard a loud noise like thunder, followed by sirens of police cars and fire engines. Defence Minister Gen Nakatani previously said the T-4 plane, which operates out of Nyutabaru air base, in the southern prefecture of Miyazaki, was heading back to its home base on an unspecified mission. Officials previously searched an area near the Iruka pond reservoir, approximately six miles northeast of the base and near the city of Inuyama, where debris from the aircraft has been discovered. This incident is the latest in a string of defense aircraft accidents in recent years, coinciding with Japan 's accelerated military buildup in response to China 's growing regional influence. Japan's doubled defense spending has raised concerns that weapons procurement may be prioritised over safety measures.
The Star
22-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Two Japanese soldiers confirmed killed in training plane crash
The T-4 training aircraft crashed near a lake in central Japan's Aichi region immediately after taking off. - Photo: AFP TOKYO: The Japanese military confirmed on Thursday (May 22) that remains recovered from the crash of a training plane last week were those of two soldiers. The Air Self-Defense Force's T-4 training aircraft crashed near a lake in central Japan's Aichi region immediately after taking off at its Komaki Air Base last week. "The deaths of its two crew members were confirmed today," Hiroaki Uchikura, head of the ASDF, told a news conference. "It is gut-wrenching that we lost these precious lives of our comrades," Uchikura said. A search after the crash soon led to the discovery of what appeared to be remains but officials could not immediately identify them. However, "a subsequent official analysis confirmed, much to our sorrow, that these belong to two soldiers on board that we had been looking for", Uchikura said. He said he "takes the accident seriously" and "will do our best to identify the cause and improve aviation safety". The T-4 seats two and is a "domestically produced, highly reliable and maintainable training aircraft... used for all basic flight courses", according to the defence ministry website. Aerial footage of the lake soon after the crash broadcast by NHK showed an oil slick on its surface dotted with what appeared to be debris. - AFP
CNA
22-05-2025
- General
- CNA
Two Japanese soldiers confirmed killed in training plane crash
TOKYO: The Japanese military confirmed on Thursday (May 22) that remains recovered from the crash of a training plane last week were those of two soldiers. The Air Self-Defense Force's T-4 training aircraft crashed near a lake in central Japan's Aichi region immediately after taking off at its Komaki Air Base last week. "The deaths of its two crew members were confirmed today," Hiroaki Uchikura, head of the ASDF, told a news conference. "It is gut-wrenching that we lost these precious lives of our comrades," Uchikura said. A search after the crash soon led to the discovery of what appeared to be remains but officials could not immediately identify them. However, "a subsequent official analysis confirmed, much to our sorrow, that these belong to two soldiers on board that we had been looking for", Uchikura said. He said he "takes the accident seriously" and "will do our best to identify the cause and improve aviation safety". The T-4 seats two and is a "domestically produced, highly reliable and maintainable training aircraft ... used for all basic flight courses", according to the defence ministry website. Aerial footage of the lake soon after the crash broadcast by NHK showed an oil slick on its surface dotted with what appeared to be debris.
