Reckless Resumption of Kadena Osprey Flights Is Inexcusable

It appears that the uneasiness of local residents is being completely disregarded. The resumption of reckless operations is inexcusable.

On June 10, the U.S. military resumed flights of the Navy CMV-22 Osprey aircraft, which had been grounded, at Kadena Air Base. After an Osprey serving at Yokota Air Base crashed off the coast of Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture last November, Osprey flights at Kadena had been suspended.

The U.S. military did not notify the prefecture or the cities of Okinawa, Kadena, or Chatan about the resumption of the flights. The flight ban was rescinded in March, and if the U.S. military feels there is no need for communication, then it has absolutely no consideration for local residents.

Residents and authorities opposed to the flights of the Osprey, which has been found to have structural defects, are keeping a close eye on the situation. The resumption of the flights is inexcusable and as if the military has totally disregarded concerns. Furthermore, the U.S. military has also been flying MQ-4 Tritons, unmanned surveillance drones, only building the functionality of Kadena Air Base.

Denny Tamaki, governor of Okinawa Prefecture, said he is “totally unconvinced” about the flights, and noted that “We will continue to demand that the deployment of the Osprey, which is considered to be extremely dangerous and defective, be withdrawn immediately,” further noting that “There was no concrete explanation of the cause of the crash.” Masashi Toguchi, mayor of Chatan, also criticized the move, saying that “even though the burden [of the base] was said to be reduced, the base’s functionality is only being increased.” Tamaki and Toguchi are justifiably disturbed.

Eight crew members died in last November’s crash, the largest death toll in any Osprey crash. Following the crash, the U.S. military suspended all Osprey flights in December when it discovered possible equipment defects.

However, without providing any details about the cause of the November incident, the U.S. military announced in March that it would resume the Osprey flights. The prefectural assembly unanimously passed a resolution objecting to the flight resumption and calling for the withdrawal of the Osprey deployments for the first time in 11 years, yet the U.S. military pushed ahead by restarting training exercises with the MV-22 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. Safety issues are still being ignored.

Essentially, from the position of safeguarding the lives and property of prefectural residents and citizens, the Japanese government should have opposed the U.S. military’s resumption of the flights. At the very least, it should have demanded a detailed explanation about the cause of the crash and preventative measures being taken, as well as verified the contents of that explanation. This attitude of prioritizing the U.S. position and deferring the protection of locals is unacceptable for a sovereign nation.

Regarding the Osprey, bereaved family members of U.S. Marines killed in a 2022 Osprey crash in California are suing the aircraft manufacturer for damages. They claim that the design and production of the fuselage did not meet government safety standards.

It will be 12 years this October since the U.S. military deployed the Osprey in Okinawa. In December 2016, an aircraft from Futenma crashed off the coast of Abe, Nago City. In August 2017, another Futenma-based aircraft crashed over the coast of eastern Australia, killing three people.

It is unusual for flights to continue after two serious crashes without any guarantee of safety. The only way to protect prefectural residents is to suspend the Osprey flights and send them back home to the United States.