Japan: Protests against US military flights

On October 14, Okinawa's Ginowan City Assembly unanimously 
adopted a resolution protesting against the US Marine Corps' 
resumption of CH53D helicopter flights — the same type of 
helicopter that crashed into a building at Okinawa State 
University on August 13.

According to Japan Press Weekly, the resolution criticised 
the US forces for resuming the flights without providing area 
residents with a convincing plan to protect the population from 
accidents in the future, and in disregard of the shock many 
residents experienced as a result of the August crash.

The city assembly called for an immediate halt to US flights over 
residential areas and urged the early removal of the US Marine 
Corps Futenma Air Station. It also strongly protested the central 
government's approval of the renewed flights.

Also in mid-October, the Zama City Assembly unanimously protested 
against the planned relocation of the US Army 1st Corps Command 
which covers the whole Asian-Pacific region up to the east coast 
of Africa, to the US Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture.

The resolution pointed out that the relocation would violate the 
Japan-US Security Treaty under which US forces in Japan are 
supposed to cover the "Far East" areas. Welcoming the resolution, 
Nakazawa Kunio, chair of the Japanese Communist Party Assembly 
Member group, declared, "Mayors of both Zama and Sagamihara, 
cities which host the base, have expressed opposition to the 
plan. We will struggle until the plan is lifted, hand in hand 
with Zama's mayor, assembly and citizens."

The Okinawa helicopter crash brought some 30,000 protesters into 
the streets in the island's largest recent demonstration. 
Residents have long objected to the US military presence on the 
island, and for the last seven years have effectively blocked 
plans to replace the Futenma facility with a new base offshore.

In April, residents started a sit-in against the new base, which 
was joined by thousands of demonstrators including some from as 
far away as South Korea and the US.

Also on October 13, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly unanimously 
adopted a resolution protesting two other incidents involving US 
aircraft — an October 4 mid-air collision involving an F-15 
fighter, and the parts from a FA-18 that fell on Chatan Town last 
June. The resolution demanded a thorough investigation of the 
incidents, suspension of F-15 and FA-18 flights until measures 
are in place to prevent accidents, and cuts and reorganisation of 
US bases and forces on Okinawa.

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People's Weekly World