okinawa

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Bullets from U.S. Camp Hansen endanger local residents

The U.S. Army has again begun live-fire exercises at the urban warfare-training complex built in U.S. Camp Hansen in Okinawa in defiance of local residents' mounting criticism of the U.S. forces for their dangerous drills frequently causing damage to local residents as well as the Koizumi government for giving the green light.

All year shooting in 13 ranges

There are 13 live-firing ranges in U.S. Camp Hansen. A Defense Agency document released on August 3 at the request of Akamine Seiken, a Japanese Communist Party member of House of Representatives, shows that 11 out of the 13 ranges are for various types of small arms, including rifles and pistols. U.S. forces all year round conduct live-fire trainings at these ranges.

A residential area in the Igei District of Kin Town, located on the south of U.S. Camp Hansen, has been affected by repeated U.S. live-fire exercises.

According to a damage map created by the Kin Town office, even houses on the seaside have been bombed, so the entire residential zone is in a danger zone.

Here are examples: a three-year-old girl who was playing in her front yard was shot in the thigh by a U.S. bullet; a 19-year-old woman was seriously wounded in her thigh; a person who was plowing a field was injured; a bullet penetrated three water tanks of private homes; and a total of nine bullets hit a gas station, a restaurant, and private homes.

It is as if they are in a war zone in which no one can tell when they may be shot.

Drills for Iraq operation

The urban warfare-training complex consists of a 10-meter-tower for an exercise to descend on a rope or shoot from high up; a reinforced concrete building used as a shooting target; a training facility to force open doors; a 50-meter-field firing range to aim at various targets; and three administrative buildings.

Special operations training is being held at these complexes, the current aim being to kill people in Iraq. Their training includes searches for and shooting the "enemy." The danger of stray bullets increases as they are shot in multiple directions. Rubber seats cover the exterior walls of the targeted building in order to prevent bullets from ricocheting, but they cannot completely eliminate the danger.

Range 5F located near the Igei service area is a mobile shooting range called "jungle lane." The river on its right side runs through the Igei residential areas and empties into the ocean. Okinawa Peace Committee Secretary Okubo Yasuhiro, who has been monitoring U.S. military training for a long time, said, "U.S. troops move along the 500-meter river and shoot dummies installed at various points. Since the river curves at a great angle, their shooting direction changes widely, thus bullets can fly anywhere."

Foreign minister is reluctant to call for cancellation of training

On July 19, about 10,000 residents participated in a rally sponsored by the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly, Kin Town, the Kin Town Assembly, and the Igei district in opposition to the live-fire exercises. Holding placards reading, "Igei residents refuse to become your targets!," participants called for an immediate closure of the urban warfare training complex. Foreign Minister Machimura Nobutaka, who read a resolution adopted by the residents' rally, told Kin Town Mayor Gibu Takeshi, "We cannot request the U.S. forces to halt the training. Instead, we will make an effort to build an alternate site." Defense Agency Director General Ono Yoshinori also refused to demand cancellation of the training.

An "alternative site" for the urban warfare training complex is planned to be constructed at Range 16. The construction cost will be paid by the Japanese government. But the U.S. forces announced that they will continue live-fire exercises at Range 14. Being under the U.S. thumb, the Japanese government cannot protect the safety of the residents. -- Akahata, September 12, 2005