MSDF ship mistakenly fires live machine-gun bullets at grounds near homes

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MSDF ship mistakenly fires live machine-gun bullets at grounds near homes

On September 5, a Maritime Self-Defense Force patrol gunboat mistakenly fired 20 mm machine-gun rounds, and the bullets landed on a residential area in Mutsu City, Aomori Prefecture.

According to the Defense Agency, the missile ship anchored at the MSDF Ominato District Headquarters fired 10 rounds including four live bullets, four training bullets, and two tracer bullets.

No injuries were reported, but a tree located only six meters away from a private house was hit by a bullet. Matsuoka Sadayoshi, the MSDF District Headquarters superintendent, at a press conference on September 6 said, "This could have had very serious consequences."

Representatives of the Japanese Communist Party Aomori Prefectural Committee and the Shimokita District Committee on September 6 visited the MSDF Ominato District Headquarters to lodge a protest, emphasizing that it was an incident that might have claimed residents' lives.

The JCP representatives submitted to the headquarters a statement urging it to thoroughly investigate the accident, fully reveal the results to residents, and publicly announce measures to prevent such accidents.
- Akahata, September 6 & 7, 2006