A U.S. military F/A-18 fighter jet crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Kochi Prefecture in western Japan on Wednesday afternoon, Japanese Defense Ministry officials said, adding that its pilot bailed out.
The pilot's condition and affiliation were not immediately clear. Acting on a request from the U.S. military, the Japan Coast Guard sent a patrol vessel to the area to rescue the pilot.
The plane crashed into the sea about 130 kilometers south of the city of Kochi, according to the officials.
The ministry is looking into the incident through the U.S. military.