U.S. helicopters force boats to stop fishing

Repeatedly threatened by U.S. Navy helicopters, Japanese fishing boats have had to stop operations in the sea off Kumeshima Island in Okinawa Prefecture.

This took place on July 22, 24, 25, 29, and 30 over a floating, rocky area about ten kilometers from Torishima Island, a field for the U.S. Forces in Okinawa. U.S. helicopters hovered over the boats, and pilots waved for them to leave the site immediately.

The U.S. Navy knew that the site is not designated as a U.S. shooting area, according to the Naha Regional Defense Facilities Administration Bureau.

On July 24, the Kumeshima Fisheries Cooperative protested against the U.S. forces through the Naha bureau, and made another protest on August 2 together with Kumeshima Town mayor and Okinawa Prefectural Fisheries Cooperation chair.

Mayor Takazato Kyuzo of Kumeshima Town emphasized, "How can such threats be allowed on the high seas? As many as 1,000 depleted-uranium ammunition shots by the U.S. Forces are still left on Torishima Island untreated. Townspeople and fishers are burning with anger because of their operations being stopped."

Fishers, who left ports in the intervals between big typhoons which hit Okinawa in July, said in anger, "We can't continue fishing because it is too dangerous. They are threatening us."

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Accidents by U.S. forces aircraft continued in Okinawa. On August 2, a U.S. CH-53 helicopter from the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station made an emergency landing at Katabaru Beach in Ginoza Village.

At the U.S. Kadena Air Base, F-15 fighters caused fires on July 31 and August 1. The Liaison Council of Kadena Town, Okinawa City, and Chatan Town, which host the base, on August 2 urged the Naha Regional Defense Facilities Administration Bureau to request the U.S. Forces to take fire prevention measures and thoroughly inquire into the cause of the fires. (end)