Ospreys reach Iwakuni; protest held
|
|
Protesters on land and sea greeted the arrival of a ship carrying a dozen MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture early July 23.
The 12 are the first of a 24-Osprey group to eventually be deployed to U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa to replace the base's aging CH-46 helicopters.
But local-level resistance nationwide to the controversial hybrid aircraft shows no sign of relenting, and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, with his political clout weakening, is expected to face strong resistance over their presence in Japan, on top of the overall public opposition to the Futenma base and plans to relocate it elsewhere in Okinawa.
The freighter carrying the Ospreys docked at the Iwakuni base at around 6:30 a.m. Fifteen people in six inflatable boats staged a protest in the bay surrounding the base, while around 150 more held an onshore rally.
(The Japan Times)
オスプレイ、米軍岩国基地に陸揚げ
アメリカ軍の新型輸送機「オスプレイ」が、山口県の岩国基地に陸揚げされた。
Shukan ST: AUGUST 3, 2012
(C) All rights reserved
|