Japan has asked the United States to refrain from flying U. S. Marine Corps Osprey aircraft in Japan after one of the tilt-rotor planes crashed off Australia, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Sunday. « We will continue to ask the United States (to refrain…
Japan has asked the United States to refrain from flying U. S. Marine Corps Osprey aircraft in Japan after one of the tilt-rotor planes crashed off Australia, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Sunday.
« We will continue to ask the United States (to refrain from flying Ospreys) until we receive a solid explanation » about the accident, Onodera told reporters after an Osprey crashed off the coast of Queensland state Saturday, leaving three U. S. Marines missing.
The crashed Osprey was among the tilt-rotor aircraft deployed at U. S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Japan’s southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, where local residents have expressed concern about the safety of the aircraft that have a history of fatal accidents overseas.
Onodera, who assumed his post in a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, said Japan also urged Washington to disclose information about the accident, investigate what caused it and take measures to prevent such an accident from happening again.
Japan also plans to discuss with the United States whether it would be appropriate for Ospreys to take part in joint training between the Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.
