JCP urges government to stop U.S. NLP

Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers on February 6 requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ask the U.S. Navy to cancel night landing practice (NLP) planned at the U.S. Atsugi Naval Air Facility in Kanagawa Prefecture in defiance of residents' strong protests.

Koike Akira, JCP member of the House of Councilors, pointed out that the sonic booms caused daily by the U.S. touch-and-go practices at the U.S. Atsugi base are unbearable.

During the past year, 4,905 complaints were made by citizens to the Kanagawa Prefecture government and seven city offices around the U.S. Atsugi base.

The foreign ministry official said that the U.S. NLP is necessary for achieving the aim of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. (end)