Japan Press Weekly

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2012 June 13 - 19 [SDF]

SDF carries out ranger training exercises with changes due to criticism expressed by citizens

Amid criticism from residents, the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force on June 12 conducted ranger training exercises in Tokyo’s residential areas, but made some changes in the training exercise as initially announced.

The GSDF originally planned to use a helicopter to transport fully armed troops from the SDF Higashifuji training field in Shizuoka Prefecture to a public park on the Arakawa riverside in Tokyo’s Itabashi Ward. The troops were supposed to march 6.8 kilometers, including through residential areas and shopping districts in Itabashi and Nerima wards, to the SDF Nerima Camp.

Following the revelation of the training plan, civic groups and peace organizations of the two wards made representations to the Defense Ministry and the SDF, demanding a halt to the training exercises. A group of local residents filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court seeking a provisional injunction against the training.

On the day of the training, the GSDF cancelled its plan to use a helicopter for transport and changed the route to the camp in order to avoid marching through shopping districts.

A lawyer of the residents’ group said, “The only reasonable explanation for the change is that the GSDF realized how serious the opposition was.”