The defense chiefs of Japan and the United States have agreed that flight safety of Osprey transport aircraft is a top priority for the two countries.

Japanese Defense Minister Kihara Minoru and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke over the phone on Tuesday.

Their talks were the first since a US Air Force tilt-rotor aircraft crashed in the waters off southwestern Japan last month. The US military has grounded all of its Ospreys deployed around the world following the fatal accident.

Kihara asked Austin to share information about the crash and safety measures. He also requested the US to resume flights of Ospreys stationed in Japan after their safety is confirmed.

Austin reaffirmed that the Defense Department considers the safety of US service members and Japanese communities its top priority.