Local residents protest U.S. F-15 fighter jets coming to Tsuiki base

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Local residents protest U.S. F-15 fighter jets coming to Tsuiki base

Amid protests by local residents, five U.S. F-15 fighter jets based at the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa on March 5 landed at Japan's Air Self-Defense Force Tsuiki Base in Fukuoka Prefecture in order to take part in Japan-U.S. joint exercises for the first time as part of the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.

Near the Tsuiki base, 100 people protested in opposition to the relocation of U.S. fighter jet exercises.

Japanese Communist Party Dietmember Akamine Seiken in his speech at the rally pointed out that the exercises will open the way for the U.S. forces' free use of SDF bases in terms of the duration and content of exercises.

He said, "The relocation of exercises is threatening the peace and quiet lives of local residents. The JCP stands firm against this."

The rally adopted a resolution in protest against the exercise relocation and demanded the cancellation of an agreement on the U.S. fighter jet exercises that surrounding municipalities had signed in disregard of the opposition of local assemblies and residents.

After the rally, representatives of rally organizers made representations to the Fukuoka Regional Defense Facilities Administration Bureau, calling for a halt to the exercises and for the cancellation of the agreement.

Japan-U.S. joint exercises will continue until March 8 in airspaces of northern Kyushu, western Kyushu, and Shikoku.
- Akahata, March 6, 2007