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

U.S. forces increasing low-altitude flight exercises during holidays over Hiroshima

Residents of Hiroshima Prefecture have reported to the Hiroshima Prefectural government that they saw 30 U.S. military aircraft low-altitude flights on holidays and weekends during the last six months, an increase of three times over the previous term.

In the Chugoku district that includes Hiroshima, the U.S. forces carry out low flight exercises on the "Brown route," giving residents irritation from the noise and the fear of a possible crash.

The Prefectural office received reports from residents in three cities and towns on 236 cases of low-flight training in the six months from October 2004, 12 less than the previous term.

Vice Chair Okamoto Yukinobu of the "Northern Hiroshima Prefecture Liaison Council against Low-Flying by U.S. Aircraft" stated that the decline is temporary.

Also, the Hiroshima Prefectural government warns that the decline in the number of flights will not continue in view of the planned shiftings of the Carrier Air Wing and carrier aircraft's Night Landing Practices' base from U.S. Atsugi Naval Air Station in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Casting doubts on the effectiveness of the 1999 Japan-U.S. Consultative Committee agreement banning holiday flights, the prefectural office has demanded that the Japanese government reveal the whole aspect of the U.S. low-flight drills, and inform the office of the planned redeployment of groups, personnel, and facilities from Atsugi to the U.S. Marine Corps Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture, adjacent to Hiroshima City.

Hiroshima Prefectural Governor Fujita Yuzan has expressed his opposition to these plans. -- Akahata, June 18, 2005