March 6, 2011
An increasing number of residents are expressing their anger over the noise from U.S. fighter jets conducting low-altitude flight training exercises over residential areas in Gunma Prefecture.
According to the Gunma Prefectural Government, between April 1 last year and March 1 this year, the prefecture and relevant municipalities received a record 520 complaints from residents, up 42 from the previous year.
In February alone, the number of complaints reached 310. On February 15, the day of entrance exams for prefectural high schools, the U.S. military carried out low-flight exercises in defiance of a request for their suspension made by the prefectural government in advance.
Oda Akio, the Gunma Prefectural Peace Committee secretary, said, “Of course local residents are upset and angry over the roar of the jets, and are beginning to think that it is unacceptable for U.S. military aircraft to fly over city areas at low altitudes.”
Sakai Hiroaki, a Japanese Communist Party candidate for the prefectural assembly election to be held in April, said, “A woman recalling her wartime experiences nervously told me that the noise reminds her of the huge U.S. air-raids. In order to relieve citizens from the heavy noise pollution and the possible danger of accidents caused by U.S. military airplanes, the JCP demands the cancellation of low-altitude flight exercises.”
The JCP Gunma Prefectural Committee in March 2010 launched a signature campaign urging the Japanese and U.S. governments to stop low-flight training exercises. This has received a favorable response from local residents.
* * *
On the afternoon of March 2 in Tsuyama City in Okayama Prefecture, one citizen witnessed a storehouse with thick mortar walls situated on his property crumbling to the ground when two U.S. military aircraft roared over his residence at an extremely low altitude.
Iguchi Sadanobu, the owner of the destroyed storehouse, said, “After hearing the indescribable roar of the jets, my whole house shook. I thought it was an earthquake when I heard roof tiles falling to the ground. When I went outside, I watched the storehouse collapse.”
In response to the JCP’s request, the prefectural and city governments conducted an investigation and called on the Chugoku-Shikoku Defense Bureau to take appropriate measures.
According to the Gunma Prefectural Government, between April 1 last year and March 1 this year, the prefecture and relevant municipalities received a record 520 complaints from residents, up 42 from the previous year.
In February alone, the number of complaints reached 310. On February 15, the day of entrance exams for prefectural high schools, the U.S. military carried out low-flight exercises in defiance of a request for their suspension made by the prefectural government in advance.
Oda Akio, the Gunma Prefectural Peace Committee secretary, said, “Of course local residents are upset and angry over the roar of the jets, and are beginning to think that it is unacceptable for U.S. military aircraft to fly over city areas at low altitudes.”
Sakai Hiroaki, a Japanese Communist Party candidate for the prefectural assembly election to be held in April, said, “A woman recalling her wartime experiences nervously told me that the noise reminds her of the huge U.S. air-raids. In order to relieve citizens from the heavy noise pollution and the possible danger of accidents caused by U.S. military airplanes, the JCP demands the cancellation of low-altitude flight exercises.”
The JCP Gunma Prefectural Committee in March 2010 launched a signature campaign urging the Japanese and U.S. governments to stop low-flight training exercises. This has received a favorable response from local residents.
* * *
On the afternoon of March 2 in Tsuyama City in Okayama Prefecture, one citizen witnessed a storehouse with thick mortar walls situated on his property crumbling to the ground when two U.S. military aircraft roared over his residence at an extremely low altitude.
Iguchi Sadanobu, the owner of the destroyed storehouse, said, “After hearing the indescribable roar of the jets, my whole house shook. I thought it was an earthquake when I heard roof tiles falling to the ground. When I went outside, I watched the storehouse collapse.”
In response to the JCP’s request, the prefectural and city governments conducted an investigation and called on the Chugoku-Shikoku Defense Bureau to take appropriate measures.
