JCP discloses US military option to deploy Ospreys at Futenma base

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP discloses US military option to deploy Ospreys at Futenma base

Japanese Communist Party Lower House member Kasai Akira on October 13 revealed the U.S. forces’ plan to develop its Futenma base in Okinawa in order to deploy vertical landing-take-off MV-22 Ospreys, and demanded that the government urge the U.S. to retract the plan.

At a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting, Kasai introduced the “FY2011 Marine Aviation Plan” published by the U.S. Marine Corps, which includes an option to build new facilities at the Futenma air base for the deployment of Ospreys in case the construction of an alternative base for Futenma will be delayed or cancelled.

“While pressing Japan to carry out a ‘relocation’ of the Futenma base to the Henoko district of Okinawa’s Nago City, the U.S. side is attempting to add new functions to the Futenma base and operate it with the added functions in operation until the new base construction is completed,” said Kasai.

Defense Minister Kitazawa Toshimi responded by saying that this is only the U.S. Marines’ plan and has not been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Defense. He, however, did not deny the possibility of strengthening the Futenma base capabilities by saying, “(The plan) is actually on the agenda of a (Japan-U.S.) working-level committee.”

“Although the government calls for the reduction of base burdens and danger associated with bases in Okinawa, what the plan proposes in actually is an increase in the burdens,” Kasai criticized.

- Akahata, October 14, 2010