Tokyo doubled down Friday on its accusation that the U. S. Marine Corps flouted safety concerns by flying choppers above a school near a U. S. air base in Ok
Tokyo doubled down Friday on its accusation that the U. S. Marine Corps flouted safety concerns by flying choppers above a school near a U. S. air base in Okinawa the previous day.
“As you can see from the video footage, the helicopters’ underbellies are clearly visible as they flew by,” Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the same day, referring to video shot from Futenma No. 2 Elementary School in Ginowan.
The U. S. military has promised to try to prevent such flights after a window from a CH-53E chopper fell on the grounds of the school on Dec. 13, nearly hitting children. The U. S. side denied Thursday’s flight took place case, based on the accounts of crewmen and on radar data.
“Children, teachers and parents will certainly be worried. This is the kind of flight we don’t want to see,” the minister said. Onodera also said he will continue to urge the U. S. military to avoid flying over schools just outside unpopular Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga expressed his strong disappointment over what he said was a “broken promise.”
“It is completely outrageous,” Onaga said at a news conference.
“It’s deplorable that this has happened even though we’ve requested firmly that the U. S.
