June 4, 2013
Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on June 3 criticized the Osaka governor for considering accepting U.S. Osprey training in the prefecture, stating, “This is just his attempt to make amends for the Osaka mayor’s suggestion that U.S. military members make use of locally available sex services.”
A short while ago on that day, Osaka Governor Matsui Ichiro (Japan Restoration Party secretary general) and Osaka City Mayor Hashimoto Toru (JRP co-leader) stated that they are considering hosting flight training exercises of some U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey which are currently deployed to the U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa at Yao Airport in Yao City in Osaka Prefecture.
The two politicians are reportedly coming to Tokyo at an early date to make Osaka’s offer to Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide.
It is not a matter of moving Okinawa’s burden to elsewhere in Japan but the burden should be removed from Japan, stated Ichida.
Citing a case in the United States where local residents opposed Osprey training which led to their cancellation due to concerns about the noise, safety, and damage to the natural environment, the JCP executive said, “How could Osaka government officials do this to its people?” inviting Osprey flights to Yao Airport located in an urban area similar to the area around Futenma base.
Yao City Mayor Tanaka Seita opposed the Osaka proposal, saying, “It is regrettable that they neither carried out consultation with the city nor gave a prior-explanation to the citizens.” The Yao Peace Committee protested that it was a bolt out of the blue and that Governor Matsui never consulted with residents about inviting such dangerous training exercises. The Yao City Assembly members’ group of the JCP pressed the Yao mayor to request that the governor withdraw the announcement to permit Osprey training in Osaka. The Osaka Prefectural Committee of the JCP also issued a statement in protest.
A short while ago on that day, Osaka Governor Matsui Ichiro (Japan Restoration Party secretary general) and Osaka City Mayor Hashimoto Toru (JRP co-leader) stated that they are considering hosting flight training exercises of some U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey which are currently deployed to the U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa at Yao Airport in Yao City in Osaka Prefecture.
The two politicians are reportedly coming to Tokyo at an early date to make Osaka’s offer to Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide.
It is not a matter of moving Okinawa’s burden to elsewhere in Japan but the burden should be removed from Japan, stated Ichida.
Citing a case in the United States where local residents opposed Osprey training which led to their cancellation due to concerns about the noise, safety, and damage to the natural environment, the JCP executive said, “How could Osaka government officials do this to its people?” inviting Osprey flights to Yao Airport located in an urban area similar to the area around Futenma base.
Yao City Mayor Tanaka Seita opposed the Osaka proposal, saying, “It is regrettable that they neither carried out consultation with the city nor gave a prior-explanation to the citizens.” The Yao Peace Committee protested that it was a bolt out of the blue and that Governor Matsui never consulted with residents about inviting such dangerous training exercises. The Yao City Assembly members’ group of the JCP pressed the Yao mayor to request that the governor withdraw the announcement to permit Osprey training in Osaka. The Osaka Prefectural Committee of the JCP also issued a statement in protest.
