U.S. Air Force to deploy F-22s to Okinawa

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U.S. Air Force to deploy F-22s to Okinawa

The U.S. Air Force will deploy a squadron of 12 state-of-the-art F-22A Raptor stealth fighter jets to the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa in February as the first deployment of this type of aircraft outside of the U.S.

The Kadena Air Base public affairs section on January 10 acknowledged this in reply to an Akahata inquiry.

Local communities and residents living near the Kadena base expressed indignation, saying that the plan will increase their base burdens despite the fact that the 2006 Japan-U.S. agreement concerning the realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan promised to reduce their burdens.

Last year, ignoring the opposition of local governments and residents, the U.S. Army deployed PAC-3 interceptor missiles to the Kadena base. The U.S. forces are also considering a permanent deployment of the next generation F-35A fighter jets to Kadena.

Local residents will increase their opposition to the moves of U.S. forces to strengthen base functions.
- Akahata, January 11, 2007