Mysterious sphere on Japanese beach removed as origins continue to puzzle

The mystery giant sphere that washed up on a beach in Japan has been removed by authorities, but they still don’t know where it came from.

The ball that appeared on Hamamatsu beach in Japan came at an already fraught time given North Korea’s recent missile tests – one of which landed just to the west of the country.

The mysterious sphere measured five feet wide and had Japanese officials so wary that they deployed a bomb squad to investigate it.

The area was cordoned off and X-ray was used on the hollow, sand-coloured object, but as far as authorities can determine, it is not a threat.

Hamamatsu officials have now removed the sphere from the beach and have said it will remain in storage “for a certain period of time” before being “disposed of”.

Officials told Japanese media: “I think everyone in Hamamatsu City was worried and curious about what it was about, but I'm relieved that the work is over.”

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Locals who were able to get up close to the sphere detailed what it was like, with one person revealing, “I tried to push it, but it wouldn't budge”.

Some claimed that the item had been on the beach for a month before officials decided to take interest. Others online expressed their embarrassment at what they believe is an overreaction.

One person tweeted: “I can't believe officials from a country surrounded by ocean don't recognize a ball buoy.”

With the Chinese balloons and other unidentified flying objects over the US and Canada, it’s been quite the month for mystery objects appearing in random places.

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