What's happened
Two Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters crash during a nighttime training exercise off the Izu Islands in the Pacific Ocean. One crew member is found dead, and seven others are missing. Search and rescue operations are ongoing with multiple ships and aircraft involved.
Why it matters
The crash of the Japanese military helicopters is a tragic event that has resulted in loss of life and missing crew members. It highlights the risks involved in military training exercises and the importance of swift and effective search and rescue operations in such situations.
What the papers say
The Japan Times reports that Defense Minister Minoru Kihara stated there was no indication of aircraft issues, while Sky News mentions that officials believe the helicopters collided before crashing. The Independent and The Guardian provide similar details about the crash and the ongoing search and rescue efforts.
How we got here
The two Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters crashed during nighttime training off the Izu Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The cause of the crash is under investigation, with officials focusing on the possibility of a mid-air collision. Search and rescue operations involving multiple ships and aircraft have been deployed to locate the missing crew members.
Common question
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Japan is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.
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Minoru Kihara is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. A native of Kumamoto, Kumamoto and graduate of Waseda University, he was elected for the first time in 2005 after working at Japa
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The Izu Islands, formerly the De Vries Archipelago, are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū, Japan. Administratively, they form two towns and six villages; all part of Tokyo Prefecture. The largest is Iz
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The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan.