Japan Press Weekly

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2024 April 24 - May 7 [US FORCES]

US military regularly conducts parachute drills at Kadena AB

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

The U.S. military has been conducting parachute training exercises at the U.S. Kadena Air Base (Kadena Town, Chatan Town, Okinawa City) for five consecutive months, ignoring repeated requests for a halt by the Okinawa prefectural government and the three local municipal authorities.

In December of last year, the U.S. forces conducted parachute drills at the Kadena AB for the first time in three and a half years. Since then, the drills have taken place once a month for five months in a row, until this month.

The Japanese and U.S. governments supposedly allow parachute training at the Kadena AB only in “exceptional” cases. This was confirmed at the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee in 2007.

Therefore, Japan’s Ministry of Defense insists that the five consecutive months of parachute training is an “exception.”

Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny said, “The training is no longer the ‘exception’ but has become a monthly affair.” Local residents voiced their anger, saying, “They even defied the Japan-U.S. agreement. If they really need that training, do it in the United States!”

The U.S. military’s parachute training exercises are primarily designed to enable special operations forces to penetrate enemy territory. Such training has nothing to do with the “defense of Japan.” It rather endangers the lives and safety of local residents. U.S. parachute drills in Japan should be abolished.