September 25, 2023

Following an emergency landing of a U.S. Osprey aircraft at the civil airport of Oita on September 16, the Japanese Communist Party Oita Prefectural Committee and the JCP Oita Prefectural Assemblymembers' group made a representation to the Oita governor on September 22, demanding that Governor Sato Kiichiro make a request to the central government to put a stop to all Osprey flights.

Endo Hisako, a JCP Oita prefectural assemblymember, said, "Concern for safety is spreading among Oita residents. The best way to ensure the safety of the residents is to ground all Osprey aircraft."

The JCP group cited that Japan-U.S. joint military exercises are scheduled for October at a Self-Defense Forces' training site in Hijudai and in Jumonjibaru in the prefecture, and that the Kyushu Regional Defense Bureau notified the surrounding municipalities of the plan which involves flight exercises by eight Osprey aircraft.

An official of the prefectural authorities said, "The prefectural government already asked the Defense Bureau to take necessary measures to ensure safe flights."

The JCP assemblypersons, however, singled out that Osprey flights are dangerous as Ospreys are structurally defective, and again demanded the suspension of their flight training drills.