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

Noise pollution by U.S. aircraft obstructs local beef business

In front of a cattle barn in Kanoya City, Nagano Yuji, a 36-year-old cattle farmer said, "Please don't talk loudly in front of the cattle. Even loud human voices can give them stress."

A faint sound of classical music came floating out of his two cattle barns. "Music drowns out loud human voices and other noises. This is one of our ideas to prevent cattle from being stressed," he said.

The Japanese and U.S. governments are planning to relocate U.S. air refueling aircraft from Okinawa to the Maritime Self-Defense Force Kanoya Base in the southern prefecture of Kagoshima. Anger at the relocation plan is welling up among the residents of Kanoya City, which is the No.1 stock-raising area in Japan.

Base in the heart of Kanoya

The MSDF Kanoya Base is located right in the middle of the city. Nagano's cattle barns are only 2km east of the base.

Kanoya's livestock farmers have been concerned about the airshow the MSDF base conducts every May. They said that the roar of jet planes makes sleeping cattle jump up all at once.

Meat from stressed cattle becomes dark red and the cattle is sold around 50,000 yen cheaper than the market price. If they are exposed to heavier stress, their meat color becomes darker and their muscle loses firmness. Such meat cannot even be sold.

More than 70 percent of residents opposed to relocation

With about 47,000 flights carried out each year, the MSDF Kanoya base is as busy as the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa.

"We hear aircraft engines causing noise at the Kanoya Base at 4:30 in the morning. What if U.S. aircraft also come? I cannot bear more noise pollution," said Kamizono Norio, a vegetable grower in Kanoya City.

According to an opinion poll that the local paper Minami-Nippon Shimbun published on February 26, 73.6 percent of respondents in Kanoya City expressed their opposition to the relocation of U.S. aircraft to their community while 15 percent showed support.

Government must respect local opinion

Takekawa Tesshu, chair of the liaison council of 95 residents' associations in Kanoya City and a stock farmer of 400 cows, said, "A quiet environment is essential for us to raise cattle. Consensus among livestock farmers and general residents is that we cannot live in peace with U.S. forces."

Shimo'onoda Hiroshi, president of the Kagoshima Kimotsuki Agricultural Cooperative with about 19,000 members, worked as the organizing committee head of the residents' rally against the U.S. aircraft relocation on February 26 in which about 8,200 people participated, the largest rally ever held in the city. He said, "I am politically conservative, but the difference of political belief is not an issue when it comes to opposition to the relocation of U.S. forces. We are working together to create a better community. The U.S. and Japanese governments must respect local opinion.
- Akahata, March 2, 2006