Much ado about nothing? For days, Japanese authorities have been puzzling over a 5-foot-long metal ball that had washed up on the Pacific coast – accompanied by major international media attention. There has also been wild speculation on social media about the origin and function of the “alien bullet”. But now the riddle is solved.
Some observers agreed early on: It must be a mooring buoy. The initial security measures, including a restricted area and bomb disposal teams, were lifted relatively quickly. Authorities have since removed the rusted ball from Hamamatsu Beach. It is also official: it is an anchor buoy for seagoing vessels.
City “relieved investigation is over”
“I think everyone in Hamamatsu was concerned and curious at the same time. But now I am relieved that the investigative work is over,” Japanese media quoted a representative of the city government as saying on Thursday. Some Twitter users are now laughing at the Japanese authorities. “I can’t believe that officials in a country surrounded by sea can’t see that it’s a buoy,” he said.
In an interview with the BBC, Scottish oceanographer Mark Inall also showed understanding for the cautious action of the police and army. Given recent geopolitical events and the sighting of unidentified flying objects and missile tests in North Korea, that nervousness is understandable, said the Scot.
Source: Krone
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