Misawa will have another runway to be paid from Japan's 'sympathy budget'

It has been learned that the Japanese government has allotted 10 million yen to cover the cost for a feasibility study to construct another runway at the U.S. Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture.

The construction cost will be paid through the 'considerate budget' of Japan's government for hosting U.S. military bases in Japan.

According to the Defense Facilities Administration Agency which explained this to Japanese Communist Party Koizumi Chikashi (House of Councilors member), the U.S. has requested Japan to construct another runway on the base, which has been co-used by the Air Self-Defense Force and civilian airlines.

The construction will start about 8 years following the feasibility study and environmental assessment, said the DFAA.

F-16 fighters from Misawa's 35th Fighter Wing have been under routine "watching" missions in the "demilitarized zone" of Iraq.

Akahata of November 8 said that this plan is aimed to intensify the global operational capability of U.S. Air Force fighters as part of expeditionary forces. It will also intensify damage from loud noise everywhere in Japan caused by low-altitude flying exercises by Misawa-based F-16s.

The paper also pointed out that the plan is part of a strategic plan of the U.S. Forces in Japan to further expand their air bases in Japan, linked with the ongoing work to extend runways of the U.S. Marine Corps Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and a controversial plan in Okinawa's Nago City to construct a state-of-the-art air base as a replacement of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station.

If these construction plans are finished, the U.S. Forces in Japan will cement its foothold in Japan to stay indefinitely, warned the paper. (end)