May 27, 2026

Akahata on May 27 reported that a new military aircraft apron will be constructed at the U.S. Yokota Air Base in Tokyo with the use of Japanese taxpayer money.

The construction project was agreed on May 14 at a meeting of the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee which discusses the operation of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.

In response to an Akahata inquiry, the Ministry of Defense public relations department said that the details of the project are being arranged with the U.S., and that the construction cost will be covered by Japan’s budget for enhancing the Japan-U.S. alliance (expenses related to the support for the stationing of the U.S. military in Japan). The ministry refused to answer the question about the type of aircraft likely to use the new apron by saying that the matter pertains to the U.S. operations.

The U.S. Air Force, under its strategy to rapidly deploy large-scale troops to military operations in the Indo-Pacific region, has been reinforcing the Yokota base as a hub for military logistics, such as aerial refueling and the transport of supplies and personnel. For example, in 2018, in accordance with the CV-22 Osprey deployment, the existing ramp at the base was renovated to accommodate six CV-22s. In addition, currently, two large tanks storing jet fuel and an oil depot are under construction.

It is believed that the new apron construction is part of this move.

Okutomi Kiichi, a member of a local civic group calling for the closing of the Yokota base, said that it is unacceptable for the government to use Japanese people’s tax money to strengthen the functions of the Yokota base in order to enable the U.S. military to conduct military operations abroad from Japan.