Naha Airport runway blocked by Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15

An F-15 fighter jet belonging to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force became immobilized on a runway at Naha Airport in Okinawa on Tuesday following a landing gear failure. The aircraft, which was returning from a scramble mission, landed with a broken left main landing gear, causing it to tilt to the left and touch its wing to the ground. No injuries were reported.

The incident resulted in the closure of Runway B for approximately four hours, starting around 12:55 p.m. While passenger flights were diverted to Runway A, the disruption caused delays and cancellations for at least 128 domestic and international flights.

Authorities used a crane to lift the fighter jet onto a truck to clear the runway. Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki described the incident as ‘gravely disappointing’ and has called for a prompt investigation to determine the cause and implement preventative measures.