Tokyo and Washington will closely coordinate a timeline for resuming flights of V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft in Japan, the U.S. military and Japanese Defense Ministry said Friday, more than three months after a deadly crash of the controversial aircraft off Kagoshima Prefecture.
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) issued the global flight clearance for the V-22 Osprey, saying in a statement that the decision ¡°follows a meticulous and data-driven approach prioritizing the safety of our aircrews.¡±
The Nov. 29 crash into waters near Kagoshima¡¯s Yakushima island ¡ª the first fatal crash of the Osprey in Japan and the deadliest worldwide since the aircraft entered service in 2007 ¡ª rekindled concerns in Tokyo over the Osprey¡¯s safety.
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