Japan Press Weekly

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2012 February 8 - 14 [US FORCES]

US Marines use civilian road without consent

Fully-armed U.S. Marines on the night of February 10 used a public road in Oita Prefecture, towing howitzers without obtaining surrounding municipalities’ consent.

Residents were frightened and protested against the unannounced mobilization.

Reportedly, the U.S. Marines were conducting live-fire exercises at the Ground Self-Defense Force Hijudai training site.

Local volunteer firefighters said that while patrolling the area at around 10:30 p.m., they discovered the U.S. marines entering the prefectural road. Another witness testified that he or she saw rifle-bearing U.S. soldiers and military vehicles.

The Kyushu Defense Bureau on February 11 announced that thirteen U.S. military vehicles ran on the prefectural road under unavoidable circumstances because they got lost when moving from one position to another inside the training site.

The Oita prefectural government and surrounding municipal offices demanded the prevention of such inexcusable mistakes.