Okinawa schools near U.S. air bases conduct crash evacuation drills

Japan Press Weekly

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

Okinawa schools near U.S. air bases conduct crash evacuation drills

Elementary and junior-high schools in Okinawa Prefecture conduct evacuation drills on the assumption of U.S. military plane crashes. Evacuation drills are held at five elementary schools and one junior high school located close to the U.S. Futenma Air Station and the U.S. Kadena Air Base.

In the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly session on February 25, Toguchi Osamu of the Japanese Communist Party referred to the “Evacuation drill (plane crash) plan” of Futenma Daini Elementary School, explaining that the drill is aimed at helping pupils to understand that they are always exposed to the danger of aircraft crashes with the repeated takeoffs and landings at the neighboring airfield and that they need to practice how they can flee to safety. An “Emergency Manual” gives the procedures in an emergency, including making a phone call text for ambulances: “Emergency! An airplane crashed at our school, injuring some pupils. We need ambulances right now!”

Toguchi said to Governor Nakaima Hirokazu, “Our children are exposed to extreme fear. Do you think that is acceptable? You should immediately request the U.S. forces to not fly over schools.” The governor replied that he does not know about the evacuation drills at schools in detail, but that he will deal with the issue properly.

- Akahata, February 27, 2010