Police and residents in a Japanese coastal city have been left baffled by a large iron ball spotted on a local beach, with authorities admitting they have no idea what it is - only that it won't explode.
The sphere, measuring about 1.5 meters in diameter, has been at the center of speculation since it was found on Enshu Beach in the city of Hamamatsu, local media said.
Experts used X-ray technology to examine the object's interior and found it to be empty.
There are also no indications that this facility was involved in espionage by North Korea or nearby China.
The presence of two raised handles on the surface of the sphere - indicating that it may be attached to something else - prompted a more prosaic explanation: that it is a piece of anchor that has simply loosened and detached - as illustrated in the photo:
Police began inspecting the sphere, which has an orange-brown color and some darker rust spots. A local woman spotted him resting on the sand just meters from the shore while out for a walk earlier this week, Asahi TV reported.
Officers cordoned off the area and called in explosives experts wearing protective gear to investigate further, but reports say authorities still don't know what the orb is or where it came from.
The photos have been sent to the Japanese Self-Defense Force and Coast Guard for further examination.
A local who regularly jogs on the beach said he did not understand how the ball was placed there.
"It's been a month," he told public broadcaster NHK. "I tried to push it but it wouldn't move."
At one point, police cordoned off a 200-metre radius around the ball as experts tried, unsuccessfully, to solve the mystery.
There were suggestions that it resembled something from the popular manga series "Dragon Ball", while others believe that it is a UFO that fell from the sky.
Television footage of the object fueled speculation on social media, after Japan said it "strongly suspected" some Chinese spy balloons had been seen over its territory in recent years.
Source: Guardian
