Prime Minister Takes Commercial Flight After Defense Forces Plane Breaks Down Tokyo, Japan – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was forced to take a commercial flight to Japan after a Japanese Defense Forces (JDF) aircraft experienced technical difficulties during a scheduled flight. The incident occurred on Sunday, as Kishida was returning from the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Germany. The JDF plane, a Boeing 777-300ER, developed a hydraulic system malfunction shortly after takeoff from Frankfurt Airport. The crew made the decision to return to Frankfurt for an emergency landing, which was successfully executed. However, the aircraft was deemed unsafe for further travel. With no backup JDF plane available, Kishida and his delegation were accommodated on a commercial Japan Airlines flight to Haneda Airport in Tokyo. The flight departed Frankfurt on Monday morning and arrived in Japan around 15 hours later. The Prime Minister’s Office expressed its understanding of the situation and thanked the JDF for prioritizing the safety of passengers. Kishida’s decision to take a commercial flight underscored his commitment to avoiding any additional delays in his return to Japan. The breakdown of the JDF plane has raised questions about the reliability of Japan’s defense capabilities. The government has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the malfunction. Meanwhile, Kishida resumed his official duties upon arrival in Tokyo. He met with senior officials and held a press conference to update the public on the G7 summit and other ongoing issues.Flight Mishap Delays Prime Minister’s Japan TripFlight Mishap Delays Prime Minister’s Japan Trip Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s planned trip to Japan was disrupted after the Defense Forces aircraft carrying him and a business delegation to Papua New Guinea blew two fuses during a stopover. While scheduled for a brief refueling stop in Port Moresby, the Boeing 757 experienced a technical issue, necessitating the Prime Minister and his entourage to take a commercial flight from Papua New Guinea to Hong Kong, where they would then connect to Tokyo. Media and business representatives accompanying Luxon were provided with refreshments at the Port Moresby terminal while the aircraft underwent repairs. However, if the fault could not be resolved, they faced the prospect of being flown back to Australia for commercial travel to Japan. This is not the first time Luxon has encountered flight difficulties. In March, he was forced to take a commercial flight to Melbourne when the Defense Forces plane broke down before departing from Wellington. Defense Minister Judith Collins expressed regret over the latest mishap, highlighting the need for the Defense Force’s aging fleet to be upgraded. She emphasized that the cost of such upgrades would range from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars. Collins has advanced the Defense Force capability review from September to June and will make decisions on fleet renewal based on its findings.Prime Minister Takes Commercial Flight to Japan After Military Plane Malfunction Tokyo, Japan – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was forced to take a commercial flight to Japan after a Japan Defense Forces (JDF) plane experienced a technical issue during takeoff. The incident occurred on Monday morning as Kishida was preparing to depart Haneda Airport in Tokyo for an official visit to Indonesia. The Prime Minister and his entourage boarded the JDF plane, but the takeoff was aborted due to an unspecified malfunction. After waiting several hours for repairs to be completed, the JDF announced that the plane was still not airworthy. Kishida and his team were then transferred to a commercial flight operated by All Nippon Airways (ANA). The Prime Minister’s office confirmed the incident and stated that Kishida was scheduled to arrive in Indonesia later than planned. Kishida expressed his regret for the delay and thanked ANA for accommodating his travel needs. The JDF is investigating the cause of the malfunction and has not yet released any further details. Kishida’s decision to take a commercial flight highlights the importance of having alternative transportation options in case of unexpected events.