Air Intelligence Information Report: Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) - Shiroi and Johnson Air Bases, Japan, November 1957

This intelligence information report, dated 20 November 1957, documents a series of sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in the Tokyo area of Japan between 6 and 14 November 1957. Prepared by the 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron, the report compiles individual statements from fourteen individuals, including U.S. Air Force personnel and Japanese nationals stationed at Shiroi and Johnson Air Bases. The document includes detailed building layout plans for both bases, individual personal statements on ATIC Form 164, and translations of related articles from the YOMIURI SHIMBUN newspaper. The sightings described by witnesses vary, with many reporting starlike objects that appeared to move or flicker. Several witnesses, including military personnel, suggested the objects might be aircraft afterburners or stars, while others remained uncertain. The report also includes a supplement detailing various public sightings reported in the Japanese press, such as fireballs and luminous objects, which the Tokyo Astronomical Observatory suggested might be meteors. The report concludes by noting that all information regarding meteors is forwarded to the Oriental Astronomical Society. The document also addresses the administrative waiver of certain reporting requirements due to the high density of military and civil airfields in the Tokyo area. The report serves as a comprehensive collection of data regarding the 1957 Japanese UFO wave, reflecting the military's efforts to categorize and investigate these reports in accordance with AFR 200-2.