Residents indignant at exercises with loud noise at U.S. Yokota Air Base

Following the May midnight exercises, another drill took place (June 17-21) at U.S. Forces Yokota Air Base, situated in a densely populated area of Tokyo. Peace activists visited the base to demand that such exercises in Japan's capital should be stopped immediately.

The latest exercises were to check the functions of sirens, alarms, and facilities for ground test explosions, and measures against chemical attacks, according to the U.S. force's notice to Fussa City, one of the cities hosting the base.

Astonished to hear the loud noise signaling the start of the exercises, many citizens made telephone calls to the Fussa City office.

The Joint Action Liaison Center for Closure of Yokota Base and Ending Damage by the Base (Liaison Center for Closure of Yokota Base) on June 20 made representations to the Yokota Base commander, expressing indignation at the exercises and demanding an immediate halt to them.

Members from trade unions and democratic organizations and Japanese Communist Party assembly members from the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and some city assemblies near Yokota also insisted that the U.S. base provide more information on the exercises beforehand to local autonomies concerned. (end)