The Forced Osprey Deployment Betrays the Japanese People

The U.S. Marine Corps have deployed 12 MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft to the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, which is located in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The U.S. government’s plan is to perform ground maintenance and test flights at MCAS Iwakuni in preparation for the main deployment this fall at the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which is located in Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture. The Noda administration has approved this plan.

There is a deep-seated anxiety over the safety record of the Osprey. Sekinari Nii, the governor of Yamaguchi, has voiced his opposition by stating, “I am angry with the deployment schedule.” Nakaima Hirokazu, the governor of Okinawa, has offered this criticism: “It is absolutely unacceptable that they are going ahead with the deployment despite the substantial apprehension over it.”

Opposition is not centered in just these two prefectures; it is spreading throughout the country. This is due to the low-altitude training flights that are planned to start with trips from Okinawa to Amami through a route along the Takara Islands, then on to various stops in Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu. Last week the Association of Prefectural Governors passed an emergency resolution opposing the deployments and these training flights.

The fact that this opposition was ignored and that the deployment was forced through is unforgivable. I strongly protest the actions of the U.S. government as well as the Japanese government for not standing up to the Americans.

Both governments have agreed to a moratorium on flights in Japan until the safety of the Osprey could be affirmed. This is to be achieved through the Japanese verification of results from the American investigations into the accidents in Morocco and Florida, which resulted in nine deaths. It is absolutely necessary that they adhere to this decision.

What is important is that this investigation is done scientifically and with substance. A phony investigation that merely allows them to meet their deployment schedule would be unforgivable.

Recently, warnings from a specialist from the Institute for Defense Analyses have come to light, claiming that the effects from turbulence have been causing these accidents. The investigation must answer these charges as well.

Whether the Osprey can be deployed in Japan should be determined based on if this investigation can adequately calm the fear and anxiety that the citizenry feels about its safety record.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has said, “The deployment is U.S. government policy; we cannot tell them what to do.” Given that this deployment is happening at the MCAS Futenma, which is often referred to as the most dangerous base in the world, the approval of this deployment with absolutely no criticism is a failure on the part of the chief executive in charge of protecting his citizens’ safety.

Even Seiji Maehara, the Democratic Party policy chief, has said, “Shouldn’t we be giving more consideration to the popular will? I cannot help but say that our review of this policy was inadequate.”

The reason the U.S. government is rushing the Okinawa deployment is to compete with the strengthening Chinese military presence in Asia. It is likely that the Japanese government is also considering the benefits of this deployment to its safety.

Even so, disregarding the Japanese citizens’ opinions and forcing this deployment will only hurt the Japan-America alliance in the long run. The Japanese and American governments must be concerned about the possibility that any post-deployment Osprey accidents could cause severe damage.