The United States Air Force is planning to deploy 10 CV-22 Osprey aircraft to the Yokota base in western Tokyo sometime in 2017, Japanese media reported Saturday.
Currently, the U.S. Marines have 24 MV-22 versions of the tilt-rotor aircraft deployed at the Futenma air base in Okinawa, where they have been since 2013. If the CV-22 are sent to Yokota, it would be the first time for the controversial aircraft to be deployed on mainland Japan.
However, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters late Saturday that the Japanese government had not received any official request from the U.S. side about deploying the Osprey at Yokota, NHK reported.
The Yokota base is bordered by six municipalities in Tokyo and any likely deployment is certain to cause opposition among local residents over safety concerns about the Ospreys' low-altitude flights over heavily populated areas.
The Japanese government in 2012 approved the deployment of the Ospreys after receiving security assurances from the Pentagon.
U.S. military officials say the hybrid aircraft which can take off and land like a helicopter, is critical for regional security efforts.
© Japan Today
15 Comments
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Yubaru
And this is news? The Japanese defense ministry is going to purchase the Osprey too so they will be literally all over Japan. It's not a big deal, and no one should make it into one either.
nath
Yokota is getting the CV-22(Air Force), while Okinawa has the MV-22(Marines).
Different models of the Osprey, I think the crashes involved the heavier customized MV.
nath
TV
BertieWooster
At least the people living around Yokota will understand the noise pollution that Futenma/Ginowan has suffered in Okinawa.
These things are NOISY!
nath
As are the currently used CH-47 but not as bad as Jets.
SenseNotSoCommon
What a non-statement
CrazyJoe
A lot of planners at the PLA headquarters are wearing their brown pants now.
sashimigaijin
The helicopters are CH-46s, not -47s. The Ospreys are much quieter than the choppers. Also, there have been planes at Yokota for many years so aircraft noise will not be new to local residents. Do your homework, people.
Yubaru
Yes as a fact they are. Well said!
So are two cats rutting, but I don't hear you complaining about them?! Go Figure.
John-San
The Admiral and head of this base ( Yokota ) stayed at the hotel I was working. I got on very well with him and his family and Joe invited me to have Xmas dinner with them. I had some really interesting conversation with Joe. I ask about the base he was head of. Joe told me that it is like a American town inside tokyo with bowling ally , baseball fields american cars so that they feel like they are at home. I got the impression of it being like the Vatican in Rome and So I would think they will be telling the Government not asking about the new addiction of aircrafts.
kwatt
I hope the Osprey aircrafts are hovering at low altitude above the Diet and Abe's house every day for drills. Politicians are surely going to love them soon. They may understand little feelings of Okinawans.
noriyosan73
Military Intelligence (an oxymoron) finally realized the planes can't reach South Korea or Taiwan. Now, on to emptying the base in Okinawa and building an island "a la chinoise."
Yubaru
Lol! Well said, but for too many nonsense, and too hard, easier to just repeat some left-wing-nuts.
JpMossMan
Oh hey John, I didn't know they had Navy Admirals in charge of US Air Bases, weird I always thought they hung out on Boats. And I'm pretty sure the Yokota website shows Col Douglas Delamater as Wing Commander, maybe Joe is a nickname.
I'm sorry, whoever that was that you talked to was tugging your pull string.
http://www.yokota.af.mil/
Yubaru
Lol! Maybe he got Yokota mixed up with Yokosuka? Like "Yo"...Even though Yokosuka is commanded by a Captain and not an Admiral. Probably dazzled by the gold braid.