In the midst of opposition from Okinawa Prefecture and surrounding communities, a huge US Military MQ4C surveillance drone, redeployed from Guam, flies into Okinawa. (22my24)

Splendor of Okinawa: Cowpea, roadside Futenma, 17my24


On the evening of 20 May, at about 8:55, a US Navy MQ4C Triton surveillance drone flew into the US Military Kadena Airfield. It had been redeployed from a US Navy base in Guam. 2 such drones will be temporarily deployed in Okinawa at Kadena until this October.


Okinawa Prefecture and communities around the base oppose the deployment, claiming, “It’s linked to a build up of base facilities.”


The MQ4 has the role of carrying out surveillance activities at high altitudes above the sea for intelligence gathering and precautionary observation. 

 

The Triton’s operations base is a Navy base in Guam. However, the aim of its temporary redeployment is to strengthen intelligence gathering and precautionary observation, with China and others in mind.



This is the first deployment of this aircraft for use at Kadena. Complementing the deployment, a contingent of 50 personnel related to the aircraft’s use will be restationed to Kadena.


In October of last year, 8 MQ9 surveillance drones from the Marine Self Defense Force Kagoshima Airbase in Kaya City in Kagoshima were redeployed to Kadena


On the continuing use of drones, Governor Denny Tamaki complained, “It’s an absurdity. This is the reverse of a reduction in our base burden!”


Local Kadena Town Mayor Hiroshi Toyama stated with dissatisfaction, “The increase in new aircraft will lead to a build up in base facilities.” He will inspect the effects on the daily lives of his residents of such aspects as noise and security.


In the Prefectural Assembly, the Liberal Democratic and Komeito party factions requested that the Okinawa Defense Bureau rethink the deployment, hold explanatory meetings, and such.


The wingspan of the MQ4 is about 40 meters, its total length 15 meters, and its total height 5 meters, and it can remain airborne for 30 hours. That gives it a flight range of 1.7 times that of the MQ9.


Original Japanese article: Okinawa Times, published Monday 20 May 2024 at 21:03. Byline: Magoyu Sunagawa.    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4d42ba74baadb287c8e3d25790f1633e322a148c


Denny in the News: news about 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. 


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. 


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


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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