Japan Press Weekly

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2014 August 13 - 19 TOP3 [US FORCES]

US military helicopter crash at university marks 10th anniv.

On August 13, the 10th anniversary of a U.S. transport helicopter’s crash at the campus of Okinawa International University, a rally to think about issues related to U.S. military bases took place at the university with 225 people participating.

Representing the rally organizer, the university’s president Oshiro Tamotsu read out a statement. He referred to the fact that the Japanese government allowed in 2012 the U.S. Forces to deploy the crash-prone transport aircraft Osprey to its Futenma Air Station, which is located right next to the university. Oshiro demanded the immediate closure and removal of the Futenma base, stressing, “Osprey deployment is further increasing the possibility of crashes.”

Agarie Yasukazu, 20, delivered a speech on behalf of university students. He condemned Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s government for trying to construct an “alternative” facility to the Futenma base in the Henoko district of Okinawa’s Nago City, in defiance of strong opposition by Okinawans.

A 20-year-old female student said, “Personally, I had thought that we can live together with the military base, but it scares me to imagine that the U.S. airplanes flying over us may go to war. As a member of the younger generation, I want to seriously think of problems associated with the base and raise our concerns in public.”

Past related article:
> Okinawan university damaged by US military plane crash opposes Osprey deployment [August 14, 2012]