FUKUSHIMA, Mar 31 (Abroad in Japan) - In August 1990, two men hiking in the Scottish Highlands captured a striking photo of a silent, diamond-shaped object hovering in the sky—later dubbed "the greatest UFO photo ever taken." A Harrier jet was seen circling the object before it suddenly shot straight up and vanished.
The men, reportedly chefs at a nearby hotel, disappeared from public view not long after the incident, deepening the mystery. For years, the original photo remained hidden until its rediscovery in 2022, when experts suggested it may depict real, possibly advanced military technology.
In recent years, global interest in UFOs—or UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena)—has escalated, driven by declassified military videos, official whistleblower accounts, and credible eyewitness reports. The 2017 New York Times exposé revealed the Pentagon’s secret AATIP program and included footage showing unidentified objects performing flight maneuvers that defy known physics. The “Tic Tac,” “Gimbal,” and “Go Fast” videos, taken by U.S. Navy pilots, depicted wingless, silent objects moving at extreme speeds against the wind.
Former officials like Luis Elizondo and David Grusch have further claimed that the U.S. government has recovered non-human technology and even biological material. Grusch, testifying under oath before Congress, revealed a long-running crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program. While skeptics remain, many who were previously doubtful have begun to reconsider in light of increasing physical evidence—photos, military sensor data, and consistent testimony.
In Japan, Chris Broad explored the country’s own UFO hotspot: Eno Village in Fukushima Prefecture. Nestled at the base of Mount Senganmori, a perfectly conical 400-meter peak that resembles an artificial pyramid, the village is widely known for its unusually high number of UFO sightings. Since the 2011 nuclear disaster, scientific monitoring in the area has increased, possibly contributing to a rise in unexplained aerial observations.
Eno is home to the International UFO Lab, opened in 1992, which houses over 3,000 pieces of UFO-related material—including many rare and unpublished photos. Broad meets with a local witness named Muran, who describes seeing a mysterious formation of lights above Mount Senganmori nearly 50 years ago. They visit the site of the sighting, which is also rumored to host occult gatherings. At the summit, Broad observes a stranger performing cryptic hand gestures before vanishing into the woods.
Mount Senganmori is also composed of highly magnetic rock, which Broad tests using a compass in a can—a quirky local attraction. The mountain’s magnetic properties are often cited as a possible reason for the area's attraction to UFOs. Broad notes that Fukushima ranks second in Japan for UFO sightings, with one incident in 1974 involving an entire school reportedly seeing 10 UFOs simultaneously.
Chris Broad, a long-time skeptic with a deep curiosity for unexplained phenomena, reflects on how visiting haunted sites in Japan never changed his disbelief in the paranormal. But UFOs, he admits, are different—anchored by tangible evidence and military testimony rather than belief alone. His experience in Eno Village, meeting locals like Muran and seeing the museum’s trove of evidence, leaves him more open-minded.
While he remains cautiously skeptical, Broad finds himself inching closer to belief—not necessarily in aliens, but in the reality that something genuinely unexplained is happening around the world. Whether tied to secret military projects, natural phenomena, or something more mysterious, the UFO question remains unanswered. As Broad concludes, keeping a balance between curiosity, skepticism, and respect for eyewitness stories might be the most honest approach to this enduring mystery.
Source: Abroad in Japan
