Japan Press Weekly

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2013 January 23 - 29 [OKINAWA]

MV22s go to Philippines from Okinawa for flight training

It was learned that MV22 Ospreys deployed at the U.S. Futenma air base in Okinawa had participated in low-altitude flight training exercises in the Philippines, indicating that similar exercises would also take place in Japan.

Akahata on January 26 reported that three aircraft on January 22 flew from Okinawa to Palawan Island in the Philippines for a joint drill with the Philippine Air Force (PAF). It was the first time for Ospreys to take part in military exercises in the Philippines.

Reportedly, the exercises were conducted in line with the same regulations and the same flight paths as the PAF use, with the approval of the Philippine government.

In contrast, the Japanese government does not require the U.S. military to inform it of flight routes when U.S. aircraft practice low-altitude flights, and the Japanese aviation law does not apply to the U.S. military, giving it a free hand in conducting whatever flight training it wants.

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Philippine President Aquino on January 26 expressed his intention to impose fines on the U.S. forces for the USS Guardian having damaged a coral reef at Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, the UNESCO World Heritage site.

This is also unlike Japan which turns a blind eye to environmental damages caused by U.S. military forces in Japan.