November 6, 2020

Japanese Communist Party local assembly members in Kanagawa Prefecture and JCP member of the House of Representatives Hatano Kimie on November 4 urged the Defense Ministry to keep providing the prefecture with information regarding flights of U.S. Osprey aircraft to and from the prefecture.

The JCP took this action as the ministry on October 30 notified the Kanagawa prefectural government of its intent to stop giving Osprey flight information.

In the petitioning, Hatano pointed out that the Osprey’s accident rate is notoriously high compared with other types of military aircraft. She criticized the ministry by saying that the release of Osprey-related information to the public is a matter concerning residents’ safety. Hatano demanded that the ministry continue to provide such information and stop unjustly playing down Osprey’s crash risk.

In response, a Defense Ministry official quoted the U.S. military as saying that it will no longer provide Osprey flight information to the Japanese authorities because of operational and security reasons.

Hatano said that it is unacceptable for the ministry to uncritically accept the U.S. military decision and urged the ministry to put top priority on residents’ safety. The official replied that the ministry will request the U.S. side for information and convey obtained information to local municipalities.

Past related articles:
> 'Temporary' deployment of JSDF Osprey aircraft to Kisarazu base starts [July 11, 2020]
> JCP Miyamoto files with Defense Ministry protest against part-drop accident of US Osprey aircraft [June 19 & 20, 2020]