USMC helicopters frighten residents of Okinawa's Ginowan City

Japan Press Weekly

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

USMC helicopters frighten residents of Okinawa's Ginowan City

On the afternoon of June 26, eleven CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters from the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City, Okinawa, made a sudden formation flight over residential areas of the city by emitting extraordinarily loud noise which frightened residents.

According to the city's office in charge of the military base matter, these 11 helicopters took off from the base around at 2:20 P.M., and made two rounds of circular flights taking about ten minutes.

Immediately, phones began ringing at the city office from citizens, who were too upset, saying, "I'm terribly scared" and "I rushed off my house no sooner when the loud noise hit me. What happened?", each expressing fear and anger.

The city officer stated, "We have often seen several USMC helicopters in formation flights when they were leaving Okinawa for the Iraq War and on their way back. However, this is the first time to see as many as eleven Sea Knight helicopters flying at the same time directly over our heads."

Mayor Iha Yoichi of Ginowan City on the same day lodged a protest with the U.S. Marine Corps's base commander and the Japanese government, saying, "As mayor, I cannot accept such extraordinary and dangerous training exercises with Sea Knight helicopters to continue any longer. I strongly demand that the USMC immediately stop training exercises with helicopters over residential areas."

There are many buildings/facilities related to education, medical care, and welfare services, including 13 elementary and junior high schools adjacent to the USMC base. In August 2004, a CH-53 helicopter crashed on the Okinawa International University campus.

The U.S. Marine Corps unit and the Japanese government are actually ignoring protests against the formation flight training exercises. The U.S. and Japanese governments are called upon to give up their plan to relocate the USMC Futenma base within Okinawa so that the dangerous base will be closed unconditionally.

- Akahata, June 30, 2009