Record 249 · 28 April 2020
Self-Defense Forces UAP Reporting Procedure
Ministry of Defense · Japan
Ledger illustration of the record — not a scan of the original paper. — Night Ledger illustration of the file
The instruction requires aircrew and units to document visual, radar, or other encounters with unidentified objects, including capture of photos, video, time, bearing, altitude, and other data where possible. Reports are forwarded through command channels to the Ministry for further analysis. The measure was taken to improve national security situational awareness. No extraordinary claims are made; it establishes routine protocols for potential safety or defence implications without presupposing non-conventional origins.
Public file: Ministry of Defense of Japan
