May 23, 2015
Representatives of the Japanese Communist Party Okinawa Prefectural Committee and JCP local assembly members visited the Defense Ministry’s regional bureau on May 22, demanding the removal of all U.S. Ospreys stationed in the prefecture.
A total of 24 MV-22 Ospreys are deployed at the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa’s Ginowan City. On May 17, an MV-22 burst into flame when landing at a U.S. base in Hawaii, killing two crew members on board.
The written demand the protesters submitted to the bureau stresses, “The myth about the ‘safety’ of the tilt-rotor aircraft, which the U.S. and Japanese governments have promoted, has collapsed completely. The demand for the removal of the aircraft is the consensus of Okinawan people.” It also seeks early publication of the cause of the latest crash as well as a halt to Osprey flight training drills until the cause is determined.
Ginowan City Assembly member Chinen Yoshio condemned the U.S. forces in Okinawa for conducting Osprey flight training exercises on the day after the accident in Hawaii. He insisted that in response to local residents’ concerns, the defense bureau should urge the U.S. military to put a halt to such drills immediately.
Chatan Town Assembly member Nakamura Shigekazu said, “Ospreys are flying about over residential areas without restriction. It would be no surprise if they crash in a residential area.”
A bureau official said that the safety of MV-22s is “confirmed”, while explaining that the bureau requested the U.S. side to offer information relevant to the fatal crash and ensure safety for local people.
Kayo Sogi, leader of the group of JCP Okinawa Prefectural Assembly members, said in anger, “Are you a spokesman for the U.S. military? If the airplane’s safety had been confirmed, it would not have gone down.”
Past related article:
> Osprey useless for disaster relief activities [May 9, 2015]
A total of 24 MV-22 Ospreys are deployed at the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa’s Ginowan City. On May 17, an MV-22 burst into flame when landing at a U.S. base in Hawaii, killing two crew members on board.
The written demand the protesters submitted to the bureau stresses, “The myth about the ‘safety’ of the tilt-rotor aircraft, which the U.S. and Japanese governments have promoted, has collapsed completely. The demand for the removal of the aircraft is the consensus of Okinawan people.” It also seeks early publication of the cause of the latest crash as well as a halt to Osprey flight training drills until the cause is determined.
Ginowan City Assembly member Chinen Yoshio condemned the U.S. forces in Okinawa for conducting Osprey flight training exercises on the day after the accident in Hawaii. He insisted that in response to local residents’ concerns, the defense bureau should urge the U.S. military to put a halt to such drills immediately.
Chatan Town Assembly member Nakamura Shigekazu said, “Ospreys are flying about over residential areas without restriction. It would be no surprise if they crash in a residential area.”
A bureau official said that the safety of MV-22s is “confirmed”, while explaining that the bureau requested the U.S. side to offer information relevant to the fatal crash and ensure safety for local people.
Kayo Sogi, leader of the group of JCP Okinawa Prefectural Assembly members, said in anger, “Are you a spokesman for the U.S. military? If the airplane’s safety had been confirmed, it would not have gone down.”
Past related article:
> Osprey useless for disaster relief activities [May 9, 2015]
