[ILLEGIBLE], February 1953February 1953

On February 26-27, 1953, U.S. Air Force personnel stationed across Japan reported seeing unusual lights in the sky. The sightings occurred at multiple radar and air defense sites spread along the western coast of Honshu and in Hokkaido, the northernmost main island.

The first reports came from radar sites and ground observers near the Sea of Japan. Personnel described reddish-orange or red objects that appeared to glow, change colors, flash, or pulse with light. Some objects seemed to move slowly across the sky before fading away. Other reports described stationary objects that appeared to hover for extended periods, then disappeared. Several of the sightings lasted between 15 minutes and two hours. Most observations were made with the naked eye, though some personnel used binoculars. No confirmed radar contacts were made with the unidentified objects, and no photographs produced usable images.

The Air Force investigators examined each sighting carefully. By cross-referencing witness statements, weather records, and the positions from which observers watched, the Air Force determined that most of the objects had likely been the planet Venus or bright stars. A few sightings appeared to involve lighthouses, fishing boats with bright lights, or possibly military aircraft. An Air Force comment noted that the moon was particularly bright on the nights of the sightings, which may have helped explain why viewers mistook bright celestial objects for nearby, unusual phenomena. One later message from a reporting agency confirmed that the object sighted at one site had been Venus upon further investigation.

The file does not state an overall final Air Force conclusion for all the sightings together. The file comprises 43 pages held by the National Archives.