USF underwater test explosions around Japan were routine

The U.S. Navy 7th Fleet has carried out underwater test explosions within Japan's exclusive economic zones almost every month during the past two years. Koizumi Chikashi of the Japanese Communist Party revealed this at the Upper House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense meeting on November 21.

The latest underwater test explosion with mines by U.S. forces took place in the zones off Oki Island in the Sea of Japan and off Kagoshima Prefecture in the Pacific. They conducted eleven tests this year and nine last year.

According to the Coast Guard's data, most of the tests in the past two years were carried out at exercise zones off Kagoshima and surrounding Okinawa, plus two areas in the Sea of Japan and one near Ogasawara-jima Island.

The Coast Guard explained to Koizumi that the test zone covered by navigation alarm by the U.S. Forces at first included part of Japan's territorial waters, but that it was deleted after the agency made inquiries about this.

The U.S. forces unilaterally established test explosion zones and issued navigation warnings, and carried out the exercises without informing Japan's Foreign Ministry.

Emphasizing that fishermen operating in and around the zones and related local governments are strongly worried about the danger of the tests. Koizumi demanded that the government take a tougher position on this issue.

Foreign Minister Kawaguchi Yoriko answered that the government would make representations to the U.S. Forces so that information on the tests will be given to Japan in advance. (end)