Japan Press Weekly

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2012 April 11 - 17 [US FORCES]

Noise of 100dB hits schools near US Futenma base

The latest survey conducted by a local university found that noise levels inside school classrooms near the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma base in Okinawa’s Ginowan City reach more than 100 decibels.

Following the survey results, boards of education of U.S. base-hosting municipalities in Okinawa have begun conducting their own surveys to determine the actual situation facing local students.

On April 10 in Ginowan City, 8 primary schools were having their entrance ceremonies, and the roar of U.S. fighter jets interrupted the ceremony at Futenma Daini Primary School. The Ginowan city government lodged a strong protest to the Okinawa Defense Bureau against the noise having disturbed important school events.

A total of 25 fighter jets repeated landings and takeoffs 9 times from 9:37a.m. to 4:45p.m. on this day. Futenma Junior High School had to put up with the roar exceeding 100dB 6 times on this day.

The fighter jets were FA-18 Hornets from the U.S. Iwakuni base in Yamaguchi Prefecture and from the U.S. mainland. They included the same type of aircraft that crashed into a residential area on April 6 in the United States, causing fear among Ginowan citizens.

Based on WTO guidelines, the School Health and Safety Act recommends that to sufficiently hear the teacher’s voice, noise levels in a classroom be less than 50dB when windows are shuttered and less than 55dB when open.

According to Tokashiki Takeshi, associate professor of environment engineering at Ryukyu University, Futenma Daini Primary School was exposed to a noise level of 99.5dB at 1:07p.m. on March 23, which increased to 105.7dB after a few minutes inside a classroom with its windows open. The survey conducted the other day showed that the noise level was 66.9dB with the supposedly soundproof windows closed.