The enigmatic enormous sphere that washed up on a Japanese beach may have been recognized.

After being discovered on the shores of Enshu beach in Hamamatsu City on Tuesday, the spherical object raised initial concerns that it could represent a hazard to the area.

A massive yellow iron ball washed ashore on the shore of Japan, sparking various theories about what this enigmatic object was and how it got there in the first place.

Several residents were concerned that the strange object could have been harmful or even explosive.

Authorities set up a 200-metre boundary around the ball to prevent anybody from approaching it while it was being investigated.

Concerns were so strong that Japanese authorities dispatched disposal teams to the shoreline on Tuesday (21 February), believing that the ball was a marine mine.

One local told NHK News that he had no idea why everyone was suddenly so interested in the ball.

“It’s been there for a month,” he told the station.

“I pushed it, but it wouldn’t budge.”

And there have been other online theories as to what it could be.

Some compared it to a ‘dragon ball,’ while others thought it was a UFO that fell from the sky. The BBC even labeled the strange find a “Godzilla egg,” but it was not.

Others were concerned that the discovery was considerably more dangerous, with speculation circulating that it was some sort of monitoring gadget used by China and North Korea.

The ball, however, is today thought to be nothing more than a regular piece of marine equipment.

The X-rays confirmed to local police that the sphere’s inside seemed to be hollow.

It also features two raised grips on its surface, indicating that it was formerly attached to something.

The ball is also said to resemble a steel buoy manufactured by the Chinese shipbuilding business Nantong Yangfan.

While the buoy on Enshu Beach is darker, with brown spots of rust and debris, it appears that it was originally a much brighter yellow.

The buoys are said to be similar in size to those found on the beach, and they are used to guide mariners or to identify various spots in the water.

Nonetheless, whatever the item is, NHK News has determined that it is not a threat.