February 3, 2019

It was found on February 2 that a U.S. Air Force C-130J transport aircraft deployed to U.S. Yokota Air Base in Tokyo dropped a parachute at the U.S. Higashifuji training field in Shizuoka during an airlift training mission late last month.

According to the information provided to surrounding municipalities in Tokyo by local defense authorities, a parachute fell on the training ground on January 31 and the U.S. force removed the object from the scene.

This type of aircraft caused a similar accident on December 19 last year, dropping a parachute near a civil industrial park outside the training site.

To the USFJ and Japan's Defense Ministry, the Tokyo metropolitan government as well as local governments located in the vicinity of U.S. Yokota AB expressed concern over the parachute-drop incident and requested the suspension of airlift drills until the cause of the incident is determined and recurrence prevention measures are taken.

At the Yokota AB, a parachute-related accident occurred for a second straight day: on January 8 and January 9. An auxiliary parachute pack and a pilot parachute are still missing.

Past related article:
> JCP Tokyo protests against accidents during parachute drills at US Yokota base January, 10, 2019]