Japan Grounds Training Fleet After Tragic Air Force Crash Leaves Two Missing

Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force has grounded nearly 200 training jets following the crash of a 36-year-old T-4 aircraft that disappeared from radar just minutes after takeoff.

The aircraft lifted off Wednesday morning from Komaki Air Base in central Japan’s Aichi Prefecture. Within two minutes, it vanished from radar screens. The last known location was near Iruka Pond, a reservoir nestled in the wooded hills about six miles northeast of the base, near the city of Inuyama. What followed was a swift response from emergency services and a meticulous search operation—one that continues as authorities hunt for any sign of the two missing crew members.

Parts of the aircraft have since been recovered at the crash site, along with life-saving equipment and helmets believed to belong to the crew. Fuel from the plane was also found floating on the reservoir’s surface, prompting a careful environmental response.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani confirmed the crash and said the cause is under investigation. The T-4 training aircraft, which was not equipped with a flight data recorder or voice recorder, was returning to its home base at Nyutabaru in southern Japan. Earlier that day, the crew had flown in to assist in the delivery of an F-15 fighter jet for scheduled maintenance—a routine mission that ended in tragedy.

According to the Air Self-Defense Force, the crew included a seasoned captain with over 1,000 flight hours and a first lieutenant. They were both aboard the T-4 when it went down.

The crash has raised fresh concerns about the aging fleet of T-4 trainers, which have been in service since the late 1980s. In response, Japan has temporarily grounded almost all of its T-4 aircraft while safety checks are conducted and investigations proceed. Hiroaki Uchikura, the Air Force Chief of Staff, said this is a necessary precaution until they understand what went wrong.