Japan ends search for crashed F35 fighter jet

TOKYO: Japan called off its search for an F-35A on Tuesday, almost two months after the stealth jet crashed into the sea sparking a scramble to recover the pilot and secrets onboard.

Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya told reporters the search had been halted but that his teams were still investigating the cause of the crash, adding that F-35A operations in northern Japan had not yet resumed.

The ministry would also keep monitoring a wider area with underwater cameras "for the purpose of protecting classified military information," Iwaya said.