New runway at Iwakuni base begins operation and promotes realignment of U.S. forces
Jun. 1, 2010
by Yasuyoshi Hirota, Staff Writer
On May 29, a new runway that has been built on a site one kilometer offshore, as part of a project involving the transfer of the runway at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, went into operation. An opening ceremony was held and attended by the parties concerned in the region and officials of both the Japanese and U.S. governments, during which the first Japanese and U.S. planes landed on the new runway. While it is expected that the new runway will prevent accidents and reduce noise, it will also advance the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, including the transfer of the carrier-based aircraft from the Atsugi Naval Air Station in Kanagawa Prefecture to Iwakuni by 2014.
The new runway is 2,440 meters long and 60 meters wide, a scale similar to the former runway. The opening ceremony was held beside the new runway and about 300 people, including Vice Minister of Defense Kazuya Shimba, Iwakuni Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda, and John Roos, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and a guest for the occasion, attended the ceremony. Mr. Roos stressed that the operation of the new runway, which marked the 50th year of the revision of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, was a testament to the bright future of the Japan-U.S. partnership. Mayor Fukuda stated, "Our long-sought wish has been realized." At the same time, he commented on the transfer of the carrier-based aircraft: "I hope that the governments will also listen carefully to our mixed feelings on this issue."
Michael O'Halloran, the commanding officer at the Iwakuni Station, and guests cut the ribbon at the ceremony. An F/A18 Hornet fighter and a UP-3D plane of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force at the Iwakuni Station that had taken off from the closed, former runway landed on the new runway.
Construction to move the runway offshore began in June 1997, following public and private efforts since the 1970s. An area of about 213 hectares was filled in with roughly 20.95 million cubic meters of earth and sand brought from the development project site in the Mt. Atago area. The new runway was originally expected to be completed in fiscal 2005 with a project cost of about 160 billion yen. But the period of construction was extended three times for a variety of reasons, including seismic countermeasures. The runway is now scheduled for completion at the end of fiscal 2010 with a project cost of about 250 billion yen.
The new runway will also be used by a private airport that is planned to reopen in fiscal 2012. Meanwhile, the transfer of the carrier-based aircraft was included in the final report of May 2006 on the realignment of U.S. forces, and there remains persistent opposition among citizens: "The transfer of the runway to offshore has created an environment conducive to the carrier-based aircraft."
(Originally published on May 30, 2010)
On May 29, a new runway that has been built on a site one kilometer offshore, as part of a project involving the transfer of the runway at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, went into operation. An opening ceremony was held and attended by the parties concerned in the region and officials of both the Japanese and U.S. governments, during which the first Japanese and U.S. planes landed on the new runway. While it is expected that the new runway will prevent accidents and reduce noise, it will also advance the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, including the transfer of the carrier-based aircraft from the Atsugi Naval Air Station in Kanagawa Prefecture to Iwakuni by 2014.
The new runway is 2,440 meters long and 60 meters wide, a scale similar to the former runway. The opening ceremony was held beside the new runway and about 300 people, including Vice Minister of Defense Kazuya Shimba, Iwakuni Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda, and John Roos, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and a guest for the occasion, attended the ceremony. Mr. Roos stressed that the operation of the new runway, which marked the 50th year of the revision of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, was a testament to the bright future of the Japan-U.S. partnership. Mayor Fukuda stated, "Our long-sought wish has been realized." At the same time, he commented on the transfer of the carrier-based aircraft: "I hope that the governments will also listen carefully to our mixed feelings on this issue."
Michael O'Halloran, the commanding officer at the Iwakuni Station, and guests cut the ribbon at the ceremony. An F/A18 Hornet fighter and a UP-3D plane of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force at the Iwakuni Station that had taken off from the closed, former runway landed on the new runway.
Construction to move the runway offshore began in June 1997, following public and private efforts since the 1970s. An area of about 213 hectares was filled in with roughly 20.95 million cubic meters of earth and sand brought from the development project site in the Mt. Atago area. The new runway was originally expected to be completed in fiscal 2005 with a project cost of about 160 billion yen. But the period of construction was extended three times for a variety of reasons, including seismic countermeasures. The runway is now scheduled for completion at the end of fiscal 2010 with a project cost of about 250 billion yen.
The new runway will also be used by a private airport that is planned to reopen in fiscal 2012. Meanwhile, the transfer of the carrier-based aircraft was included in the final report of May 2006 on the realignment of U.S. forces, and there remains persistent opposition among citizens: "The transfer of the runway to offshore has created an environment conducive to the carrier-based aircraft."
(Originally published on May 30, 2010)
