Okinawa Assembly demands Osprey pullout

The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly  has unanimously adopted a resolution demanding the pullout of the controversial MV-22 Osprey aircraft now deployed at Futenma Marine Corps Air Station in Ginowan City.

Citing fears among local residents about possible accidents, the resolution said, “Who will take responsibility and in what way if the aircraft crashes in a downtown area?”
On Monday, six of the 12 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft temporarily stationed at the U.S. Marine Corps’ Iwakuni base in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, arrived at Futenma. Three more arrived on Tuesday, and the remaining three planes will move to Futenma later.

The MCAS Futenma is located in a densely populated area of Ginowan. The 12 Ospreys were transported to MCAS Iwakuni from the United States in late July.   A group of Okinawa Prefectural Assembly members are set to lodge their protests against the Osprey deployment with the Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau and the Foreign Ministry’s Okinawa office.

Local concerns about the safety of the Osprey are growing in the wake of a series of crashes involving the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ken-Harper/1485921764 Ken Harper

    If you have the information that I have this is a disaster for the residents of Ginowan, 19 Americans have already lost their lives because of this aircraft.

    • http://www.facebook.com/JDKeeling J.D. Keeling

      Again, Ken, your death count is off. Also, what information do you have?
      Because all the information I have completely contradicts your posts. You’d think someone who does real estate would do a little more fact checking. You wouldn’t happen to be the councilman as well would you? Again, more research would be expected. Here’s a few articles for you so you can fix some of those misguided “facts” you’ve heard.

      defense.aol.com/2011/08/09/the-v-22-safer-than-helos-effective-worth-buying/

      http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/planes-uavs/the-ospreys-real-problem-isnt-safety-its-money-8347657

      Just a few.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ken-Harper/1485921764 Ken Harper

        J. D. Keeling can you tell me that nobody has died flying in a V-22? One of the pilots who did die was a really highly skilled pilot. The best there was. This was the crash that they decided to look for what really went wrong.

        • http://www.facebook.com/JDKeeling J.D. Keeling

          Yes people had died. Now take those numbers, flight hours, crashes, passengers, and compare statistics with other aircraft, and tell me it is still less safe than our others.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ken-Harper/1485921764 Ken Harper

        Not on council anymore.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ken-Harper/1485921764 Ken Harper

    So far only americans have died from the V-22 crashes. But now people may be killed that didn’t sign up for this in Okinawa !

21:03 29 Mar , 2024