Plan for Osprey deployment at Iwakuni by yearend raises concerns about hasty approval—City and prefecture to decide after requesting safety explanation from national government
Jul. 17, 2024
by Hidetoshi Arioka, Nana Kawamura, and Takeshi Kikumoto, Staff Writers
On July 15, the Japanese government notified local governments about its plan to deploy the Osprey, a transport aircraft, at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The U.S. military plans to deploy the aircraft by the end of this year. Before determining how to address the situation, local governments including Iwakuni City and Yamaguchi Prefecture will inquire of the national government about steps to ensure safety. Because the Iwakuni City government previously accepted the transfer of U.S. carrier-based aircraft to the U.S. air station in Iwakuni, concern is rising that the city might grant approval for deployment of the aircraft, which is known to be accident prone, without adequate debate.
On the morning of July 15, Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense Hisashi Matsumoto visited Iwakuni City Hall and addressed city representatives, saying, “I want to express my deepest gratitude for your deep understanding of the U.S.-Japan alliance and the U.S. military’s activities.” Some aircraft have been transferred to the Iwakuni air station from other U.S. military bases in the past, including 15 KC130 aerial refueling planes in 2014 and around 60 carrier-based planes in 2018. Mr. Matsumoto showed his appreciation anew for the city’s approval of such actions.
After being briefed about the Osprey deployment plan, Iwakuni City Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda asked about how the safety of the aircraft would be secured. “More than a few citizens have concerns,” he said, adding that he would pose related questions in writing at a later date. Toshiyuki Kuwahara, chair of the Iwakuni City Council, revealed his intent to hold a council meeting with all members on the topic in August and requested an explanation from the national government. The meeting between the city and national government officials, in which both parties read from prepared statements, lasted slightly more than 20 minutes.
Each year, carrier-based aircraft typically depart the Iwakuni air station in May and return in the fall from deployment at sea. It is expected that the Osprey, successor to the carrier-based C2 transport aircraft, will be deployed in conjunction with the C2 aircraft’s return this upcoming fall. The city government and city council will accelerate their response to the plan. “Our statement of intent regarding this issue must be announced at the city council meeting scheduled for September, or we’ll be too late.”
“Lives and daily life of citizens must be protected”
“So, the base will permanently station the Osprey,” lamented Jungen Tamura, 78, a former Iwakuni City Council member who has tracked the activities at the Iwakuni air station for many years. Ever since a base runway was moved one-kilometer offshore in 2010, he believes the city has clearly revealed its cooperative stance with regard to national defense, leading to enhancement of the U.S. base’s functions, including deployment of the stealth fighter jet F35B and relocation of the carrier-based aircraft. “The Osprey is defective, which causes concerns. The city government has a duty to protect the lives and daily life of citizens. I want to ask that the mayor make a bold decision regarding this issue.”
The Kawashimo district is located near the Iwakuni air station. Residents of the area are greatly worried about the crash of an Osprey off the coast of Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture last year in November. Saburo Enami, 78, head of the Asahi Daiichi residents’ association, said emphatically, “There is a risk that a plane might crash on our homes. Citizens’ lives should be the top priority. We oppose the deployment.”
Meanwhile, some people in the district insist that handling of the issue must be realistic. Hideo Tameshige, 73, head of the Asahi Daini residents’ association, said, “The U.S. military is also taking safety precautions. If the city government accepts Osprey deployment, we would like to seek appropriate incentives.” When the national government held a briefing about the deployment plan, a city council member also asked about possible financial assistance if the city were to approve the plan.
Osprey deployment plan causes stir in neighboring local governments
Local governments in neighboring Hiroshima Prefecture are also shaken by the plan. An employee at the general affairs department of the Hatsukaichi City government said, “We have not been informed about the number of units to be deployed or their flight paths. We will therefore continue to seek further information disclosure by the U.S. military through the national government. Concerns over safety of the Osprey have not been eliminated. We will continue to demand that the aircraft does not affect the daily life of people in the community.”
Tetsuo Maeda, a military analyst, believes the U.S. military’s recent activities, such as the Osprey deployment and aircraft upgrades including the stealth fighter jet F35C, to be part of a strategy to bolster defense operations in Japan’s southwest islands. While keeping an eye on China’s strengthened military operations, the United States and Japan actively conduct military training exercises, and fighter jets now fly to the Iwakuni air station from other military bases.
Regarding the Osprey, Mr. Maeda said, “It has been involved in many accidents since the development phase. With the cause of the crash off the coast of Yakushima Island not being announced officially, the city and prefectural governments need to aggressively pursue answers.” He added, “The local governments should make sure to accurately grasp Osprey flight paths and training locations and communicate that information to citizens.”
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by Nana Kawamura, Staff Writer
The Osprey U.S. military transport aircraft is said to have had safety concerns since its development phase. Ever since the aircraft was deployed for combat in 2007, numerous accidents have taken place around the world.
In April 2012, an Osprey crashed during Marine training exercises in Morocco, leading to four casualties. In May 2015, the craft failed on landing in the U.S. state of Hawaii, killing two people. In August 2017, an aircraft deployed at the Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture crashed off the coast of Australia, taking the lives of three people. In 2022 and 2023, Osprey crashes took place in Norway, the United States, and Australia, killing a total of 12 people.
In Japan, a Marine Osprey aircraft deployed at Futenma Air Station was destroyed as it made a forced landing off the coast of Nago City in Okinawa Prefecture. In November last year, an Air Force aircraft deployed at the Yokota Air Base crashed off the coast of Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture as it flew from the Iwakuni air station to Okinawa, killing eight crew members. In December, the U.S. military suspended all Osprey flights. In March this year, it announced the cause of the crash to be the “failure of a specific part,” disclosing no further details, and resumed the flights, asserting there would be no issues so long as proper security measures were in place.
(Originally published on July 17, 2024)
On July 15, the Japanese government notified local governments about its plan to deploy the Osprey, a transport aircraft, at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The U.S. military plans to deploy the aircraft by the end of this year. Before determining how to address the situation, local governments including Iwakuni City and Yamaguchi Prefecture will inquire of the national government about steps to ensure safety. Because the Iwakuni City government previously accepted the transfer of U.S. carrier-based aircraft to the U.S. air station in Iwakuni, concern is rising that the city might grant approval for deployment of the aircraft, which is known to be accident prone, without adequate debate.
On the morning of July 15, Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense Hisashi Matsumoto visited Iwakuni City Hall and addressed city representatives, saying, “I want to express my deepest gratitude for your deep understanding of the U.S.-Japan alliance and the U.S. military’s activities.” Some aircraft have been transferred to the Iwakuni air station from other U.S. military bases in the past, including 15 KC130 aerial refueling planes in 2014 and around 60 carrier-based planes in 2018. Mr. Matsumoto showed his appreciation anew for the city’s approval of such actions.
After being briefed about the Osprey deployment plan, Iwakuni City Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda asked about how the safety of the aircraft would be secured. “More than a few citizens have concerns,” he said, adding that he would pose related questions in writing at a later date. Toshiyuki Kuwahara, chair of the Iwakuni City Council, revealed his intent to hold a council meeting with all members on the topic in August and requested an explanation from the national government. The meeting between the city and national government officials, in which both parties read from prepared statements, lasted slightly more than 20 minutes.
Each year, carrier-based aircraft typically depart the Iwakuni air station in May and return in the fall from deployment at sea. It is expected that the Osprey, successor to the carrier-based C2 transport aircraft, will be deployed in conjunction with the C2 aircraft’s return this upcoming fall. The city government and city council will accelerate their response to the plan. “Our statement of intent regarding this issue must be announced at the city council meeting scheduled for September, or we’ll be too late.”
“Lives and daily life of citizens must be protected”
“So, the base will permanently station the Osprey,” lamented Jungen Tamura, 78, a former Iwakuni City Council member who has tracked the activities at the Iwakuni air station for many years. Ever since a base runway was moved one-kilometer offshore in 2010, he believes the city has clearly revealed its cooperative stance with regard to national defense, leading to enhancement of the U.S. base’s functions, including deployment of the stealth fighter jet F35B and relocation of the carrier-based aircraft. “The Osprey is defective, which causes concerns. The city government has a duty to protect the lives and daily life of citizens. I want to ask that the mayor make a bold decision regarding this issue.”
The Kawashimo district is located near the Iwakuni air station. Residents of the area are greatly worried about the crash of an Osprey off the coast of Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture last year in November. Saburo Enami, 78, head of the Asahi Daiichi residents’ association, said emphatically, “There is a risk that a plane might crash on our homes. Citizens’ lives should be the top priority. We oppose the deployment.”
Meanwhile, some people in the district insist that handling of the issue must be realistic. Hideo Tameshige, 73, head of the Asahi Daini residents’ association, said, “The U.S. military is also taking safety precautions. If the city government accepts Osprey deployment, we would like to seek appropriate incentives.” When the national government held a briefing about the deployment plan, a city council member also asked about possible financial assistance if the city were to approve the plan.
Osprey deployment plan causes stir in neighboring local governments
Local governments in neighboring Hiroshima Prefecture are also shaken by the plan. An employee at the general affairs department of the Hatsukaichi City government said, “We have not been informed about the number of units to be deployed or their flight paths. We will therefore continue to seek further information disclosure by the U.S. military through the national government. Concerns over safety of the Osprey have not been eliminated. We will continue to demand that the aircraft does not affect the daily life of people in the community.”
Tetsuo Maeda, a military analyst, believes the U.S. military’s recent activities, such as the Osprey deployment and aircraft upgrades including the stealth fighter jet F35C, to be part of a strategy to bolster defense operations in Japan’s southwest islands. While keeping an eye on China’s strengthened military operations, the United States and Japan actively conduct military training exercises, and fighter jets now fly to the Iwakuni air station from other military bases.
Regarding the Osprey, Mr. Maeda said, “It has been involved in many accidents since the development phase. With the cause of the crash off the coast of Yakushima Island not being announced officially, the city and prefectural governments need to aggressively pursue answers.” He added, “The local governments should make sure to accurately grasp Osprey flight paths and training locations and communicate that information to citizens.”
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Series of Osprey accidents happening around the world
by Nana Kawamura, Staff Writer
The Osprey U.S. military transport aircraft is said to have had safety concerns since its development phase. Ever since the aircraft was deployed for combat in 2007, numerous accidents have taken place around the world.
In April 2012, an Osprey crashed during Marine training exercises in Morocco, leading to four casualties. In May 2015, the craft failed on landing in the U.S. state of Hawaii, killing two people. In August 2017, an aircraft deployed at the Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture crashed off the coast of Australia, taking the lives of three people. In 2022 and 2023, Osprey crashes took place in Norway, the United States, and Australia, killing a total of 12 people.
In Japan, a Marine Osprey aircraft deployed at Futenma Air Station was destroyed as it made a forced landing off the coast of Nago City in Okinawa Prefecture. In November last year, an Air Force aircraft deployed at the Yokota Air Base crashed off the coast of Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture as it flew from the Iwakuni air station to Okinawa, killing eight crew members. In December, the U.S. military suspended all Osprey flights. In March this year, it announced the cause of the crash to be the “failure of a specific part,” disclosing no further details, and resumed the flights, asserting there would be no issues so long as proper security measures were in place.
(Originally published on July 17, 2024)
