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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Government to lift restrictions on U.S. flight exercises

At a House of Councilors Audit Committee meeting on April 5, Japanese Communist Party representative Nihi Sohei pointed out that the planned relocation of U.S. flight exercises under the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan will ﾒlead to the endless strengthening and perpetuation of U.S. bases.ﾓ

In order to increase Japan-U.S. joint military exercises, the Japanese and U.S. governments are planning to distribute U.S. flight exercises currently conducted at three U.S. bases, including the Kadena Air base in Okinawa, to five Self-Defense Forces bases at Chitose (Hokkaido), Hyakuri (Ibaraki), Komatsu (Ishikawa), Tsuiki (Fukuoka), and Nyutabaru (Miyazaki).

The Japanese government has made agreements with the U.S. government as well as with local municipalities hosting SDF bases that the joint exercises can be conducted at the SDF bases no more than 4 times a year. However, with the planned relocation, the government has made clear that it will lift this restriction.

The government plans to conduct the joint exercises mobilizing 6-12 planes for 8-14 days at a time. Pointing out that at these SDF bases such large scale joint exercises have rarely conducted before, Nihi stated that the scale of exercises will be ﾒbeyond comparison.ﾓ
- Akahata, April 6, 2006