Osprey Came Back

Only six days after a terrible crush, MV-22 Osprey came back to the sky over Okinawa. Receiving an explanation of United States Marine Corps that the accident was not caused by malfunction of the machine, the Government of Japan approved the resumption of exercise of Osprey. The people in Okinawa raised its voltage of protesting flying of that dangerous aircraft.

Deputy Commander of U.S. Forces in Japan, Maj. Gen., Charles Chiarotti, had a meeting with Japanese Minister of Defense, Tomomi Inada, at Ministry of Defense on Monday and argued that the accident had not been caused by machinery system or structure of aircraft of Osprey. Inada recognized that the argument of U.S. Force was reasonable in light of knowledge of experts in Ministry of Defense and Japan Self-defense Force.

The accident happened in the night of last Tuesday. One Osprey affiliated to Futenma Marine Airbase lost control in its drill of fueling in the air and fell down onto the shallows offshore Henoko where U.S. Force was building new base against firm opposition. Japanese government required U.S. Force not to resume the operation of Osprey for a certain period of time. Although U.S. Force accepted the request, it explained a plan for flying an Osprey from Iejima Airprot in the northern region of Okinawa to Futenma Airbase for investigation, and then it demanded approval for resuming operations of other Ospreys. A number of Ospreys left Futenma one after another in Monday afternoon.

Japanese government needed thorough investigation about why the accident occurred and how safety of Osprey could be proved. However, U.S. Force had concluded on those points right after the crush. They recognized that it was a failure of fueling, not any unexpected operation of machine. The Commander of U.S. Force in Okinawa did not understand the standpoint of Japanese government that needed to consider public opinion in Okinawa.

The Supreme Court will pass a sentence to Governor of Okinawa on his denial of approval for landfill in Henoko on Tuesday. U.S. Force will return a part of land for training range in the northern part of Okinawa on Thursday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Pearl Harbor for the first time next week. Any problem should be removed before those important schedules related to Okinawa or Japan-U.S. relationship.

It is obvious that Okinawa strongly opposed. “They completely ignored the people in Okinawa. Japanese government is incompetent” told Governor Takeshi Onaga. Even Okinawa Branch of Liberal Democratic Party got angry on the decision of Japanese government. “Then needed our approval first. Tell Prime Minister to stop it,” told a leader of the branch. Protesters in Okinawa worried that Osprey would fall down on their houses someday.