July 8, 2022

A stray bullet was found on July 7 in a residential area adjacent to U.S. Camp Hansen in Okinawa's Kin Town. The bullet broke a private residence window.

A nearby resident in his 80s said that he heard shots starting from around 8 a.m. that day, adding, "It was very scary."

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken and JCP Okinawa prefectural assemblyperson Shimabuku Keisuke made an on-site visit. Akemine asked an Okinawa Defense Bureau official for details of the live-firing drill at Camp Hansen that day. The official answered, "We are asking for information from the U.S. military."

According to the Okinawa prefectural government, a total of 28 stray bullet incidents involving U.S. military bases occurred between 1972 and 2020. Out of the 28, 12 cases were related to Camp Hansen where live-fire training exercises are frequently conducted.

Past related articles:
> After 1 year, Okinawa gov’t finally allowed to enter US base over stray bullet incident [June 27, 2019]
> US stray bullet found at farm hut in Okinawa's Nago City [ June 22, 2018]