Japan says 'concerned' US continues to fly Ospreys despite grounding request

An object believed to belong to the U.S. military aircraft V-22 Osprey that crashed into the sea floats next to a fishing boat at the sea off Yakushima Island, Kagoshima prefecture, western Japan November 30, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan is concerned that the U.S. military is continuing to fly Osprey aircraft despite its request to ground them until their safety is confirmed after an accident this week, Japan's top government spokesperson said on Friday.

Japan, a key U.S. ally, had sought the suspension of all non-emergency V-22 Osprey flights over its territory after one fell into the sea on Wednesday in western Japan. Japan's Coast Guard has said one person was found and confirmed dead, and the search for the remaining seven aboard continues.