Japan Press Weekly

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2017 January 11 - 17 [US FORCES]

US soldier parachutes onto farmer’s field from Osprey

One of six U.S. soldiers parachuting out of an Osprey landed on a civilian field outside the U.S. military premises in Ie Village in Okinawa on January 10.

They were participating in training exercises parachuting from the tilt-rotor aircraft at the U.S. Auxiliary Airport on Ie-jima Island.

The U.S. forces in December 2016 resumed Osprey flight training exercises only six days after an Osprey crash without having determined the cause of the accident.

According to the village office, the parachutist landed on a villager’s tobacco field. The village administration said it will request the U.S. side, through the Okinawa Defense Bureau, to prevent such an accident from happening again.

Japanese Communist Party village assemblyperson Naka Minoru, who was an eye-witness at the scene, said to Akahata, “Nobody was injured this time, but a major accident could occur in the future with the freewheeling U.S. military. The withdrawal of all Ospreys and removal of all U.S. bases from Okinawa is the best way to prevent a recurrence.”

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Okinawa USMC conducts parachute drills in Tokyo

The U.S. Marine Corps on January 10 conducted parachute training exercises using C-130 transport aircraft stationed at the U.S. Yokota Air Base in Tokyo.

The local Defense Bureau informed the surrounding five cities and one town of the 5-day training exercise and the number of participants involved, 53 in total.

The participants in the parachute training drills belong to one of the USMC units in Okinawa. It is a reconnaissance unit to be sent in first to the frontline of engagement by parachuting in or being landed by Ospreys. The USMC units, including this unit, frequently carry out parachute training exercises at the U.S. Yokota AB in Tokyo.