An American woman who was found to be in possession of a pistol and bullets on a flight from Atlanta to Narita airport near Tokyo last week was denied entry to Japan, airport sources said Friday.

The woman, believed to be in her 30s, told Delta Air Lines crew during the flight that she had mistakenly brought the handgun and ammunition with her onto the plane, despite passing through security inspection at the southern U.S. airport, the sources said.

The cabin crew took the handgun from the woman until the plane’s arrival on the afternoon of Jan. 3, the sources said, adding that she apparently owned it for self-defense.

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