Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2014 July 23 - 29 [POLITICS]

Saga residents protest against plan to deploy Ospreys to local airport

In protest against the Defense Ministry’s plan to deploy 17 Osprey aircraft to Saga Airport in Saga Prefecture, 150 residents on July 22 held a rally in front of the prefectural government office building.

The 17 Ospreys are scheduled to be attached to the Ground Self-Defense Forces.

The rally was organized to take place during the senior vice defense minister’s visit to Saga. People from various political parties, including the Japanese Communist Party, trade unions, and civic organizations took part in the rally.

Tanaka Hideko, chair of the New Japan Women’s Association Saga branch, said, “We feel strong anger about the plan to fly the dangerous Ospreys in the quiet skys above Saga.”

The JCP Saga Prefectural Committee on the same day made a representation to Governor Furukawa Yasushi, calling on him to oppose the deployment plan.

JCP member of the prefectural assembly, Muto Akemi, said that local residents were surprised at the sudden announcement of the plan and feel anxiety about it. Muto pointed out that in regard to the airport construction, the prefectural government had promised local fishermen to not allow the Self-Defense Forces to use the airport. The governor should object to the Defense Ministry’s plan to station Ospreys at the local airport, she stressed.