Japan once dismissed UFOs. Now the government is investigating unexplained sightings seriously

UAP stands for unidentified aerial phenomena, which is a new term for the mystery aircraft once simply called UFOs. Recently, on August 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of War released more new materials related to UFO sightings around the world. 

And now Japan is paying closer attention to these sightings than ever before. The Japanese government has now launched a UFO investigation after the U.S. Department of Defense marked a region as a "hotspot" for sightings. Here's how the country is looking into this matter so far.

In February 2018, Japan's government issued an official stance denying the existence of UFOs. It said that “no confirmation has been made of their existence.” The cabinet's written response also said that there was no special consideration for how to react to unidentified aerial objects. 

Mamoru Santo, a former wing commander in the Self-Defense Forces, said he regularly heard about odd sightings from pilots and civilians. Pilots were reportedly told to stay quiet. According to The History, Santo recalled, "But even when this happened, it was only shared among colleagues and not reported publicly."

Things changed in September 2020, when Defense Minister Taro Kono announced new procedures. Under the new procedures, Self-Defense Forces personnel must first confirm they are seeing an unidentified object; then they are required to take written and photographic records for analysis.

In a press conference, Kono said, “Frankly speaking, I don’t believe in UFOs,” and he described them as “indistinguishable objects, not objects from space.” Commenting on the risks, Heigo Sato, who heads the Institute of World Studies at Takushoku University in Tokyo, noted, “The most feared strategy is a surprise attack.” He added, “Gathering information on currently unknown phenomena is important for security.”

In late July 2025, four security guards at the Genkai Nuclear Power Station in Saga Prefecture saw three drone-like lights in the night sky. After the investigation, no drone was found, and the exact nature of the lights remains unknown.

Former defense minister Yasukazu Hamada, who leads a parliamentary group studying UAPs, said, “If we cannot identify what it is, it’s impossible to determine whether the Defense Ministry or the National Police Agency should handle it.”

In May 2026, the Pentagon released more than 160 files on UAP sightings, including two videos of objects spotted near Japan. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara responded, “Regarding incidents related to our national security — including UAPs — we are constantly gathering and analyzing information with great interest, while maintaining close coordination with the United States and other countries.” 

When asked about when Japan is releasing its own files, he said the government would decide case by case. Meanwhile, a group of about 80 lawmakers has urged the government to create a dedicated UAP department. As of now, the country does not have its own dedicated UAP department.