TOMIOKA, Japan (NEWSnet/AP) — U.S. and Japan military forces will resume flights of Osprey aircraft after completing necessary maintenance and training.

It comes about three months after the death of eight crew members in a crash in Japan.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said the two countries have discussed resumption of Osprey flights in Japan since the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command announced March 8 that the aircraft has been approved to return to service.

An “unprecedented” part failure led to the fatal crash.

The entire U.S. Osprey fleet was ground Dec. 6. Japan also stopped flights of its 14 craft.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said each of the U.S. forces will have separate return-to-flight schedules, and that Japan and the United States have “closely” discussed a timeline for the resumption of Osprey flights in Japan. Aircraft that have completed necessary maintenance and training will return to flight as early as Thursday, the ministry said.

It said the crash was caused by a part problem, not a faulty Osprey design, and that similar problems can be prevented in the future by taking steps to mitigate the identified cause.

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