TOKYO, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Defense Ministry said Friday that two F-2 fighter jets clipped each other in mid-flight during a training exercise, although both planes made it safely back to their training base in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwest Japan.

The accident occurred at 4:00 p.m. local time, according to Defense Ministry officials, who added that the vertical tail wings of the planes were damaged during the training drill.

The drill, officials said, took place 200 km west of the planes' Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Tsuiki Air Base, over the sea west of Japan's southern Kyushu Island.

The JASDF is investigating the cause of the mishap and reported that the planes' pilots did not suffer any injuries as a result of the midair accident.

The Mitsubishi F-2 is a multirole fighter based on the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and looks very similar in appearance to the F-16.

The F-2 is manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Lockheed Martin for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

Production of the jet fighter began in 1996 and the first aircraft entered service in 2000.