“They’re ignoring the residents!” protests Okinawa Prefecture as another US military aircraft, this time a CH53 helicopter, shows up at Naha Military Port. (23no21)

On 20 November, a huge transport CH53E helicopter, apparently based at Futenma Airfield, came flying into the US Military Naha Port Bay Facility (Naha Military Port). At least the one helicopter landed and parked in the facility. At the same facility, 3 vertical takeoff and landing transport MV22 Osprey aircraft from the same base also flew in, leaving 4 aircraft parked inside the facility as of 10 p.m. on 22 November.


According to the response Okinawa Prefecture got from the Okinawa Defense Bureau, the US Military is characterizing the issue as “routine maneuvers.”


Okinawa Prefecture Vice-governor Kiichiro Jahana protested by phone on 20 November to Okinawa Defense Bureau Chief Isao Ono, “We can’t just overlook actions that ignore the region and its residents.” He further requested that Ono review the provision of information and the rules for handling aircraft transport.


On 19 November, both Governor Denny Tamaki and Naha Mayor Mikiko Shiroma announced with a clear voice their  opposition to flights into Naha Military Port by Ospreys.


In Memo 5.15 which determines the rules between the US and Japan for usage of  US Military bases in Okinawa, it is established that the primary purpose of Naha Military Port shall be “port facilities and oil storage.” 


On 22 November, in response to the Prefecture’s inquiry, the Okinawa Defense Bureau answered, “Insofar as this US Military activity is not of the sort that violates its primary purpose, the exclusion of aircraft landing at the facility is unthinkable.” Thus the Defense Bureau’s attitude is that aircraft flying in and out of the facility is not considered a problem.


On the afternoon of 22 November at the Naha Military Port, a huge transport ship was confirmed docked.  Its rampway for taking on vehicles was connected to the pier, but as of 10 p.m. on the same day, there was no confirmation of the Osprey or helicopters being loaded on board.


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Tuesday 23 November 2021 at 06:04

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/33f479a88a680730b73db8a0e982518a7b7a3e1f


Translator’s note:

Denny in the News: news about Okinawan Governor Denny Tamaki.

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although Okinawa is important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 

  1. This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 

  2. Any suggestion on improving the translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.

  3. Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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