TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. Marine Corps Osprey aircraft that made an emergency landing at a commercial airport in southwestern Japan may have done so due to an instrument malfunction, Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Wednesday.
Onodera's remarks came despite local media reporting that the plane's crew notified air traffic controllers of its need to make an emergency landing due to engine trouble.
The controversial Osprey, known for its checkered safety history, is reportedly the same aircraft that was forced to make an emergency landing near Okinawa's main island in June under potentially similar circumstances.
Onodera, conceding that the tilt-rotor airplanes are continuing to have accidents, called for tighter safety measures to be implemented.
"Accidents involving Ospreys are continuing to happen, so I want safety to be ensured when operating them," the defense minister told a press briefing on the matter.
Japan's top government spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, also expressed his concerns over the safety of the turboprop planes that can take off and land like a helicopter and fly like a fix-winged aircraft.
Suga told a press briefing that the government has requested further information on the incident and for thorough safety management regarding the planes.
Read the full story at Xinhua