White metal ball found on Japanese beach is not a spy balloon: reports

A white colour metal ball found on Japan's Enshu Beach on February 20, which was suspected to be an espionage device, is a massive piece of scrap metal, New York Times reported.

Many on social media jokingly suggested that it could be a Godzilla egg while some suspected it to be a spy balloon just like the one spotted in the US earlier this month.

However, forensic tests revealed that the object was merely a large piece of scrap metal and not an explosive. The sphere measured about 1.5 metres in diametre is going to be discarded eventually, an offical said.

Media reports also pointed that the metal ball was similar to marine equipment steel buoys which help mariners mark positions in the ocean.

Also watch: USA: Pentagon releases aerial photo of Chinese 'spy balloon' taken by air force pilot