Hiroshima Prefecture learns 412 U.S. military aircraft engaged in low-level flight training through first half of fiscal 2009
Nov. 25, 2009
by Osamu Kido, Staff Writer
Hiroshima Prefecture has compiled information on U.S. military aircraft engaged in low-level flight training, which were witnessed during the first half of fiscal 2009, or between April and September. The "number of witnessed aircraft engaged in the training" is 412 in total, showing a decrease from a record number of 579 aircraft in the first half of fiscal 2008. But the "number of days when U.S. aircraft engaged in the training were witnessed" is 107, the fourth-largest number so far, and remains at a high level. On November 24, Hiroshima Prefecture called on the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to request U.S. forces stop low-level flight training.
The survey of U.S. military aircraft engaged in low-level flight training began in fiscal 1997. The sums have been calculated, based on reports from each municipality. "Reports of sightings" for the first half of fiscal 2009 were obtained from eight municipalities. Kitahiroshima Town has reported 258 sightings, the largest number of sightings and which comprises more than 60 percent of all sightings during the period. Kitahiroshima Town is followed by 80 sightings from Hatsukaichi City, 62 from Otake City, four from Etajima City, three from Shobara City, three from Miyoshi City, one from Hiroshima City and one from Kure City.
The number of flight drills on weekends and holidays, which were agreed to be restricted to those in critical situations at the Japan-U.S. joint committee in 1999, rose to 20. In addition, 16 drills were held in the evenings after 7 p.m.
In the meantime, Hiroshima Prefecture, which thoroughly examined the reports of sightings collected from the municipalities and excluded overlapping information, found that "the number of days when U.S. aircraft engaged in low-level flight training were witnessed" reached 107. The figure indicates that many flight drills were conducted even in comparison with a record number of 125 days in the first half of fiscal 2000.
On November 24, Hiroshima Prefecture called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense to stop the low-level flight training. Furthermore, the prefecture requested that the permanent field carrier landing practice (FCLP) facility for carrier-based aircraft which are scheduled to be relocated to the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, should not be established in Hiroshima Prefecture and the Seto Inland Sea region. The prefecture also sent the request to the Iwakuni Station.
According to Hiroshima Prefecture, Jinichi Kadowaki, chief administrative official at the Status of U.S. Forces Agreement Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, again offered the explanation: "A facility for FCLP activities will not be built around the Iwakuni Station."
(Originally published on November 25, 2009)
Hiroshima Prefecture has compiled information on U.S. military aircraft engaged in low-level flight training, which were witnessed during the first half of fiscal 2009, or between April and September. The "number of witnessed aircraft engaged in the training" is 412 in total, showing a decrease from a record number of 579 aircraft in the first half of fiscal 2008. But the "number of days when U.S. aircraft engaged in the training were witnessed" is 107, the fourth-largest number so far, and remains at a high level. On November 24, Hiroshima Prefecture called on the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to request U.S. forces stop low-level flight training.
The survey of U.S. military aircraft engaged in low-level flight training began in fiscal 1997. The sums have been calculated, based on reports from each municipality. "Reports of sightings" for the first half of fiscal 2009 were obtained from eight municipalities. Kitahiroshima Town has reported 258 sightings, the largest number of sightings and which comprises more than 60 percent of all sightings during the period. Kitahiroshima Town is followed by 80 sightings from Hatsukaichi City, 62 from Otake City, four from Etajima City, three from Shobara City, three from Miyoshi City, one from Hiroshima City and one from Kure City.
The number of flight drills on weekends and holidays, which were agreed to be restricted to those in critical situations at the Japan-U.S. joint committee in 1999, rose to 20. In addition, 16 drills were held in the evenings after 7 p.m.
In the meantime, Hiroshima Prefecture, which thoroughly examined the reports of sightings collected from the municipalities and excluded overlapping information, found that "the number of days when U.S. aircraft engaged in low-level flight training were witnessed" reached 107. The figure indicates that many flight drills were conducted even in comparison with a record number of 125 days in the first half of fiscal 2000.
On November 24, Hiroshima Prefecture called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense to stop the low-level flight training. Furthermore, the prefecture requested that the permanent field carrier landing practice (FCLP) facility for carrier-based aircraft which are scheduled to be relocated to the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, should not be established in Hiroshima Prefecture and the Seto Inland Sea region. The prefecture also sent the request to the Iwakuni Station.
According to Hiroshima Prefecture, Jinichi Kadowaki, chief administrative official at the Status of U.S. Forces Agreement Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, again offered the explanation: "A facility for FCLP activities will not be built around the Iwakuni Station."
(Originally published on November 25, 2009)
