A F-35B Lightning II fighter jet from the Royal Navy made an emergency landing on the morning of Saturday (10) at Kagoshima Airport in Kirishima City, Japan, according to local media. No injuries were reported and airport operations have since returned to normal.
According to the Kagoshima Airport Office, the aircraft landed shortly after 11:30 a.m. local time after the pilot informed the control tower of a suspected mechanical issue. Footage broadcast by NHK showed the jet parked near the runway at 2:00 p.m., with no visible signs of damage.
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“The pilot had contacted air traffic control in advance, reporting a possible mechanical problem and requesting to make an emergency landing,” the airport office told NHK.
After the landing, the runway was closed for about 20 minutes while the F-35B was moved to a taxiway and safety checks were carried out. In total, six flights — both departures and arrivals — were delayed by approximately 20 minutes.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that the aircraft was a British carrier-based fighter from the HMS Prince of Walescurrently operating in the Western Pacific as part of the Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG25). “The aircraft landed at Kagoshima Airport due to a malfunction,” the ministry said.
The HMS Prince of Wales and accompanying support vessels are in the region conducting joint training with the Japan Self-Defense Forces and U.S. military. The exercises, part of Operation Highmastwill continue until August 12 and aim to demonstrate the United Kingdom’s ability to operate alongside allies in the Indo-Pacific.
Sources: Japan Ministry of Defense | UK Defence Journal | X @RoyalAirForce. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
