Balloon(?) UFO Over Japan (June 2020)

[EnolaGaia]

'It's not ours': Government denies knowledge of strange 'UFO' over Japanese city

the origin of a strange, balloon-like UFO that appeared in the sky over the city of Sendai, Japan yesterday (June 17) around 7 am local time, remains a mystery a full day after its sudden arrival. The object looked like a large white, unmanned balloon attached to two crossed propellers, according to news reports. The UFO lingered in the sky, largely motionless, for several hours before drifting over the Pacific Ocean, AFP reported.

While a weather balloon seems like the obvious explanation (they are widely available for purchase), a spokesperson from the Sendai bureau of the Japan Meteorological Agency told AFP that "it's not ours." In his daily press briefing later that day, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also denied any knowledge of the balloon's origin, according to AFP. ...

FULL STORY: https://www.livescience.com/japanese-ufo-weather-balloon-shenanigans.html

See Also:
afp.com/en/news/15/mysterious-ufo-captures-imaginations-japan-doc-1tn5ie1

 

[Analogue Boy]

Weather balloon. Available on Amazon. 6m diameter. 45quid.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/meter-Professional-Weather-Balloon-white/dp/B004RK2RAU

 

[eburacum]

Some more expensive options appear to be available nowadays. Here's a solarblimp;

 

[Analogue Boy]

Not one of ours.

 

[marhawkman]

the afp link seems dead.

The other one? yeah... looks like an ordinary balloon. Seems like the main question is whose balloon it is.

 

[Ermintruder]

This is very interesting- I was unaware of any contemporary paramilitary posturing going on with balloons (if this was not the strategic intention, it certainly does generate that type of impression).

Could this mode of neo-Cold War showmanship be the root cause behind a whole range of historical 'UFO sightings'? Perhaps this type of non-satellite/non-spyplane overhead surveillance hasn't been waiting for the advent of modern drones, but has always existed, by virtue of balloons?

www.bbc.com/news: China balloon: Could it have been blown off course as Beijing claims?

The Chinese authorities say a surveillance balloon sighted over sensitive US territory is theirs, but insist its purpose is for weather research and that it was blown off course by unexpected winds.
We've looked at the prevailing wind patterns and data modelling to track its possible path.

Where has the balloon been seen?​

It was monitored travelling across Canadian territory before appearing over the city of Billings in Montana on Wednesday, where it was spotted in the sky by city residents.
US authorities say they've been tracking the balloon across US airspace using manned aircraft, and that it's been flying over sensitive military areas.

 

[eburacum]

My current hypothesis is that the Chinese are just disregarding national sovereignty nowadays and sending balloons up willy-nilly. Maybe these balloons have some sort of spy equipment on board, but most of the info gathered by balloon would be easier to obtain from Google Earth.

There have been similar sightings over the Andaman Islands, Hawaii and Japan in recent years; the Chinese just think they can send them up without censure, and they are probably right.

 

[Mythopoeika]

My current hypothesis is that the Chinese are just disregarding national sovereignty nowadays and sending balloons up willy-nilly. Maybe these balloons have some sort of spy equipment on board, but most of the info gathered by balloon would be easier to obtain from Google Earth.

哎呀！ 我们的坏。

 

[eburacum]

Well, that is what they are saying.

 

[kesavaross]

As always, I don't think we're ever going to know the truth.

 

[maximus otter]

"Explosion in the sky' above Billings Montana where Chinese spy balloon was spotted​

An explosion in the sky over Billings Montana, where a Chinese spy balloon has been flying over the region, was caught on camera Friday.

Mysterious video of the aftermath shows a trail of smoke in the sky where the balloon was last spotted.

Dolly Moore, who took video of the scene, said she 'saw a jet go by so fast and then explosion in the sky.'

As the video spread on social media, Defense officials have said the balloon over Montana has not exploded.

It comes after the US State Department called the balloon, which was traveling over U.S. airspace at 60,000 feet, a 'clear violation' of U.S. sovereignty, but said it wouldn't be shot down because it was flying over a 'number of sensitive sites.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ana-Chinese-balloon-spotted-U-S-airspace.html

maximus otter

 

[Erinaceus]

That seems to be a lot of smoke if it was just a balloon. The Daily Mail reported that eight hours ago and no credible news sources seem to have picked it up. Is it a contrail and wishful thinking?

 

[Sid]

哎呀！ 我们的坏。

"Ah so" . . . ah! Ours bad.

 

[Mythopoeika]

"Ah so" . . . ah! Ours bad.

It's 'Oops! Our bad' or something like that.

 

[kesavaross]

To me, something is wrong with the whole interview. She doesn't seem or sound credible. An actor maybe but why?

 

[Sid]

Well, that is what they are saying.

I note that in this news article, it states (and shows) that a balloon was shot down, and shows a photo of the trail of smoke left behind as it was falling away - this might explain that object that was caught in the frame, (being the plane that shot it down?) Why would the news media show this otherwise?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ana-Chinese-balloon-spotted-U-S-airspace.html

 

[eburacum]

Last thing I heard, the balloon was over Kansas, so that flash/bang had nothing to do with it.

 

[Sid]

Last thing I heard, the balloon was over Kansas, so that flash/bang had nothing to do with it.

I know. . . ?

 

[kesavaross]

To me, something is wrong with the whole interview. She doesn't seem or sound credible. An actor maybe but why?

It turns out the lady was making it up.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ana-Chinese-balloon-spotted-U-S-airspace.html

 

[Lobeydosser]

BBC says US shot it down over the sea - and there is another one over Costa RIca -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64524105

I think everyone sends these up all the time - mainly for weather data and the like, but I dare say they are fairly inexpensive as the tech goes , and if you get a shot of something "secret" then it's a bonus.
Probably can be controlled at distance a bit more nowadays as well - change altitude and perhaps use some sort of drone motor to move them between air currents maybe ?
The Japs famously used ballons as weapons in WW2 -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu-Go_balloon_bomb

 

[kesavaross]

BBC says US shot it down over the sea - and there is another one over Costa RIca -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64524105

I think everyone sends these up all the time - mainly for weather data and the like, but I dare say they are fairly inexpensive as the tech goes , and if you get a shot of something "secret" then it's a bonus.
Probably can be controlled at distance a bit more nowadays as well - change altitude and perhaps use some sort of drone motor to move them between air currents maybe ?
The Japs famously used ballons as weapons in WW2 -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu-Go_balloon_bomb

The side to side/back and forth movements of the balloon (radiosonde) caused by different air currents possibly moving in different directions and speeds at different heights is all part of the data collected.

The data collected is used to make a skew T diagram which is in effect a slice through the atmosphere and is important for weather analysis and forecasting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skew-T_log-P_diagram

 

[maximus otter]

Video shows the moment an F-22 shot down a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean​

The United States military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon on Saturday and was planning to try and collect the debris in the Atlantic Ocean.

Videos posted to social media showed aircraft circling around the balloon before shooting it down.

The Coast Guard had asked mariners to avoid the area of the balloon due to US military actions "that present a significant hazard" before the jets shot the balloon down on Saturday.

https://news.yahoo.com/video-shows-moment-f-22-210225683.html

maximus otter

 

[Sid]

Last thing I heard, the balloon was over Kansas, so that flash/bang had nothing to do with it.

Just heard on the radio that they will be examining the shot-down wreckage from the 'balloon.'
I wonder if they find out that it really was just a weather balloon, whether they'll apologise to China for shooting it down then make-up?

 

[Carse]

Maybe these balloons have some sort of spy equipment on board, but most of the info gathered by balloon would be easier to obtain from Google Earth.

I read a piece over the weekend saying that China is not the only country that uses high altitude surveillance balloons; they are generally used to gather signal intelligence (i.e. eavesdropping on electromagnetic transmissions) which is difficult to achieve with a satellite from orbit. Another disadvantage of satellites is that their movements are highly predictable so if you know the timetable of when one is going to fly overhead you can cover up or move anything you want to keep secret, whereas a balloon is far less predictable and more subtle. There were reports yesterday that the Chinese balloon over the US was actually observed to change course against the wind, implying it was under some sort of control and had at least some ability to manoeuvre. They can also stay aloft for far longer than drones and require far less in the way of support to launch or monitor their movements.

Balloons combine hi-tech and lo-tech approaches to spying and I'm guessing are probably used far more than the general public will ever be allowed to know.

 

[eburacum]

Yeah, they may be collecting sigint. There have been a few previous overflights too, including one over Hawaii a couple of years ago. Maybe they are passing it over to the Russians. Who knows.

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

Just heard on the radio that they will be examining the shot-down wreckage from the 'balloon.'
I wonder if they find out that it really was just a weather balloon, whether they'll apologise to China for shooting it down then make-up?

Would anyone really trust China after the last few years?
And I won't say what I think about the USA not shooting down that 'balloon' the second it showed up, but my opinion is that it should have been.
Can anyone imagine China's immediate reaction to anything foreign in their air space?
Apologize? No.

 

[kesavaross]

Using balloons for use in spying, warfare, etc is already being thought about.

https://www.defensenews.com/2022/08/11/uk-to-test-sierra-nevadas-high-flying-spy-balloons/

 

[hunck]

Would anyone really trust China after the last few years?
And I won't say what I think about the USA not shooting down that 'balloon' the second it showed up, but my opinion is that it should have been.
Can anyone imagine China's immediate reaction to anything foreign in their air space?
Apologize? No.

I think they would’ve shot it down sooner but were concerned about the debris falling on something/someone causing damage.

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

I think they would’ve shot it down sooner but were concerned about the debris falling on something/someone causing damage.

Oh yes, I know that is what they said.

 

[hunck]

Oh yes, I know that is what they said.

So what’s the reason why they didn’t in your opinion?