A large metal sphere washed ashore in Japan has baffled locals and sparked a wave of speculation, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
Authorities are still unable to say what the object is. A sapper squad and the police were sent to investigate, but no conclusions have yet been drawn as to its origin and purpose.
The object is known to be hollow and not a threat. Many suspect it is a type of buoy.
The find in the coastal city of Hamamatsu has been described as a “Godzilla egg”, a “mooring buoy” and a “space object” by locals.
Japanese broadcaster NHK showed footage of two staff at Enshuhama beach examining the rusted metal sphere, which appeared to be about 1.5m wide.
It was discovered by a local resident who alerted the police after noticing the unusual object.
Authorities cordoned off the area and took X-rays, which didn’t reveal much else — other than confirming the site was safe.
A runner on the beach told local media he was surprised by the commotion as the ball had been there for some time.
This kind of find would not normally raise suspicions, but its discovery coincides with general nervousness after several unidentified objects were brought down in the US, including a balloon that Washington claimed was a spy device gathering data on military sites.
Japan separately raised concerns with China on Wednesday about alleged surveillance balloons spotted over its skies at least three times since 2019, a revelation that was made public only last week. Beijing denies the spying allegations.
The defense ministers of the two countries met on Wednesday in the first bilateral dialogue on security issues in four years. The two sides agreed to work to launch a hotline this spring, reports “Diary“.
