The large metal ball, believed to be made of iron, was spotted on Enshu Beach in the coastal city of Hamamatsu, though it's unclear when it got there or what it is
A mysterious sphere has appeared on a beach in Japan — and no one seems to know what it is, or how it got there. Pinball Balls
The large metal ball recently appeared on Enshu Beach in the coastal city of Hamamatsu, according to the BBC and The Guardian. However, it's unclear exactly when it first washed ashore.
A local resident reached out to police about the object Tuesday after spotting it on the sand, Asahi News reported, according to the New York Post and Vice News.
The sphere is said to be about 1.5 meters (5 feet) in diameter, according to the reports
Officials reportedly blocked off a 200-meter radius (655 feet) around the ball as they investigated the perplexing sphere.
Japanese broadcaster NHK released footage of two officials examining the object on Enshu Beach.
Though it's still unclear what exactly the object is, officials now believe it is hollow and cannot explode, according to the BBC and The Guardian.
Police said the object is believed to be made of iron, the Post and Vice News reported. Many have suggested that it could be a buoy.
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Officials do not believe the sphere is involved in any sort of espionage, according to The Guardian.
That said, photographs of the object will be examined by the Japanese self-defense forces and coast guard, per the report.
Local authorities hope to have the object removed from the beach soon, the BBC also reported.
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