Although the Condon Report would offer an explanation about the UFO incident over Haneda Air Force Base just outside Tokyo Japan in 1952, many researchers reject it. Not least as a study of the case and the testimonies of the witnesses suggests that the explanation itself simply dismisses details of the incident.The incident over the airbase is far from the only one to have occurred over Japan, especially since the late-1940s at the end of the Second World War. Might the fact that several – although not all – of these sightings occurred over American occupied bases in the country suggest some kind of clandestine involvement on the United States’ military?
It might prove to be the case that the incident is simply a victim of the US government’s attempts to distance itself from the UFO and alien question rather than to cover-up a huge secret not fit (in their opinion) for public consumption.A Bright Glow Hiding A Disc-Like Object
Just before midnight on 5th August 1952, two American servicemen [1] were on duty in the control tower of Haneda Air Force Base. It was as they were gazing outward to the night sky that they noticed a strange bright light moving ahead. The glow appeared to be heading in their direction from Tokyo Bay.
They would reach for their military binoculars and view the strange light through them. It was clear that whatever the light was, it was moving toward them. As well as the two servicemen, the two operators who were just finishing their shift also witnessed the bright light.The nearer it came, the clearer the “controlled” nature of its movements was, suggesting an intelligent control. It then hovered near the control tower, allowing the men to see that a distinct “dark circular” shape was behind it. From their viewpoint, it appeared this object was approximately “four times the light’s diameter”. The closer it came, the clearer a lower section with a secondary light also became.
As they watched, the object began to perform specific maneuvers in front of them, leaving the witnesses in awe. Perhaps of more importance, while this was taking place, the anomalous object also showed up on the radar and was currently being tracked.
As it moved and danced in the night sky the object appeared to move away from the base, eventually dimming slightly. On several occasions, the object would appear close to the base once more, as if out of nowhere, before vanishing just as quickly.
An Attempt To Intercept
It was this was happening that one of the witnesses viewed a pilot in a C-54 in the same approximate area over Tokyo Bay. He would radio to him asking if he could see anything out of the ordinary. He radioed back that he couldn’t. The operator would then check with another nearby control tower. They, however, confirmed they did indeed have the unknown craft on their screens.
A short time later, First Lieutenant W R Holder would take to his F-94 in an attempt to intercept the bizarre craft. With him was First Lieutenant A M Jones in the capacity of his onboard radar operator. They would leave the runway of Johnson Air Force Base a short distance away. The jet would ultimately lock on to the object with the radar. However, they could no longer see the craft with their own eyes.The craft, however, was still moving away from the jet, seemingly in circular motions. The F-94 continued to pursue the craft, relying only on the radar and the control tower as to its whereabouts. After around 15 minutes, though, it broke away from the pursuit and returned to its base. Before the chase was over, the strange craft suddenly left the area at great speed, estimated to be around 350 miles per hour. As it did so, though, the one object became three on the respective radar screens.
The radar would track the UFO, in total, for around 30 minutes. During this period, there were sporadic visual sightings, and what’s more, these were in sympathy with the radar data. This further suggests that the object, whatever it was, was very real.
Something They Had Never Seen Before
There were several immediate theories tossed around as to what the strange object might have been. Some would suggest that it was a “lighted balloon”. However, such suggestions were soon dismissed. For a start, the object was moving far too fast for a weather balloon, even if the wind had caught it. And furthermore, weather balloons have a distinct yellow-type glow which this object did not.
There was also more than a hint of intelligence behind the movements and actions of the craft. Perhaps not least that it disappeared shortly after the arrival of the F-94 jet only to reappear several times near the base following their departure. Was this a purposeful action to prompt the jet to be called off?
Basically, though, the FEAF investigators at the time would offer no explanations for the sighting. They would further state it was something they had truly never seen before.
It is perhaps interesting, then, that later investigations into the incident would appear to disregard these statements, and even large parts of the witness statements, essentially, turning the incident into nothing more than a sighting of far-away object.
Captain Edward Ruppelt, who was head of Project Blue Book, despite what we know now of the apparent attempts to discredit the UFO and alien question through the project, would offer that, ultimately, despite the apparent explanations, “the UFO could not be identified as something we knew about”. He would further offer that it very well could have been an “interplanetary spaceship”. Although this itself was just a theory among many.
Another Strange Encounter In 1952 Japan
The incident was not the only one of 1952 to feature the United States Air Force personnel in Japan. A truly bizarre encounter would feature in Unexplained Mysteries of the 20th Century by Janet and Colin Bord.
Although the date is not certain, at some point during the year in question, Air Force Private Sinclair Taylor would witness what he described as a “giant winged man”. Even more bizarre, this creature was coming out of the sky in his direction.
A UFO superimposed on to a picture of a Japanese city at night
There are many UFO reports from Japan
The serviceman was on guard duty at the time. He simply watched in awe as the winged man simply hovered a short distance away from him. He would later estimate that the winged figure was around 7 feet tall. The height was a similar size to its wings when they were outstretched.
It was at this point when they servicemen reached for his gun. He pointed it toward the winged being and without thinking, he opened fire. However, when he finally opened his eyes after squeezing off a round of shots, the figure had completely vanished. The incident does indeed remain a complete mystery.
Was this some kind of strange alien creature? Or might it even have been an unknown indigenous being? Perhaps it was nothing more than a bizarre illusion.
Attempts To Lesson The Credibility In The Eyes Of The Public?
Later UFO military and government investigations of the Haneda incident, perhaps most notably the Colorado Project, would suggest that the sighting was nothing more than “a light that looked like a star”. Which was far from the actual reports at the time. And appeared to dismiss entire sections of the incident, specifically when the object hovered over the base.
Many believe this was an attempt to simply wash their hands of UFO sightings, in general. And this could very well be true. If they achieved this, they would perhaps dampen the enthusiasm and interest of the vast majority of the population. However, the fact we are examining this now, over half a century after the incident took place is perhaps a testament to the failure of such attempts.
Whatever the truth of the incident, the incident remains one that still intrigues researchers and enthusiasts around the world. What was witnessed that evening over Tokyo? And why were there apparent attempts to disregard and even lesson the credibility of the incident by the powers that be? What might have been so significant that years later there was an apparent need to discredit a sighting, as intriguing as it is, that led to very little interaction?
Perhaps it is these attempts to suppress the more dramatic and fascinating details of the incident that increases this interest? Or perhaps UFO investigators and researchers over the years have simply stuck with the initial statements of those involved. Seeing through the attempts to minimize this, and other incidents.
Whether any further details come to light, in the form of documents or whistleblower information remains to be seen.
