Japan Press Weekly

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2008 December 3 - 9 [US FORCES]

U.S. Air Force conducts operation readiness exercise in Okinawa

Ignoring opposition from among local governments and residents, U.S. forces in Okinawa on December 1began a five-day operational readiness exercise at the U.S. Kadena Air Base.

This is the second such exercise, the first one being held in December 2007. It is an exercise aimed to “test the readiness of Kadena Airmen.”

In addition to aircraft from the Kadena base, FA-18 Hornet fighter/attackers from the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture, 35 in all, together with about 700 service members, are taking part in this exercise.

The Kadena Town Assembly on December 2 held an emergency meeting and unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the U.S. to immediately stop the war drill. The Chatan Town Assembly is expected to adopt a similar resolution.