November 20 & 21, 2025
During a parachute landing exercise conducted by the U.S. military at the U.S. Yokota Air Base which stretches over six municipalities in western Tokyo, one of the jumpers landed outside the base and damaged the roof of a private home.
The accident occurred in the evening of November 18. Later in the day, the Defense Ministry North Kanto Defense Bureau informed the six municipalities hosting the Yokota AB about the accident.
The following day, a civil group calling for the removal of the U.S. Yokota base visited the Defense Ministry local bureau in protest against the accident and demanded that the U.S. military’s parachute training be suspended until proper measures to prevent a recurrence are taken.
Okutomi Kiichi, who heads the civil group, pointed out that the U.S. Yokota base-hosting municipalities have repeatedly urged the bureau to request the U.S. military not to carry out dangerous parachute drills. He noted that in the latest accident, a U.S. paratrooper landed on a house roof, and part of the roof was damaged. He said, “The occurrence of such a serious accident is unacceptable.”
Other participants in the protest action in turn said, “Holding parachute training at the Yokota AB located in densely populated areas is really dangerous, and thus must be stopped.”
At the Yokota AB, the U.S. military since 2012 has frequently conducted parachute training, causing many accidents in which unopened parachutes and part of parachutes fell outside the base. The latest accident was the first case of a U.S. soldier who landed off target outside the base.
The accident occurred in the evening of November 18. Later in the day, the Defense Ministry North Kanto Defense Bureau informed the six municipalities hosting the Yokota AB about the accident.
The following day, a civil group calling for the removal of the U.S. Yokota base visited the Defense Ministry local bureau in protest against the accident and demanded that the U.S. military’s parachute training be suspended until proper measures to prevent a recurrence are taken.
Okutomi Kiichi, who heads the civil group, pointed out that the U.S. Yokota base-hosting municipalities have repeatedly urged the bureau to request the U.S. military not to carry out dangerous parachute drills. He noted that in the latest accident, a U.S. paratrooper landed on a house roof, and part of the roof was damaged. He said, “The occurrence of such a serious accident is unacceptable.”
Other participants in the protest action in turn said, “Holding parachute training at the Yokota AB located in densely populated areas is really dangerous, and thus must be stopped.”
At the Yokota AB, the U.S. military since 2012 has frequently conducted parachute training, causing many accidents in which unopened parachutes and part of parachutes fell outside the base. The latest accident was the first case of a U.S. soldier who landed off target outside the base.
