Takae residents request removal of Osprey to ODB in light of recent crash accident

December 20, 2016 Ryukyu Shimpo online edition

At about 10:30 a.m. on December 20 at the Okinawa Defense Bureau in Kadena Town, Bureau Director-General Nakajima (right) bows his head in apology over the accident to Ward Chief Nakamine.

In light of the crash accident of an MV-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft from Futenma Air Station, residents of Higashi Village and Takae Ward came to the Okinawa Defense Bureau (ODB) to request the removal of Osprey on the morning of December 20. Ward Chief Kumiko Nakamine said that after this Takae residents will be forced to live their daily lives surrounded by helipads, and lives burdened with even more noise and anxiety of aircraft crashes. She went on to say that the only way to ease Takae residents’ anxiety and implement base burden reduction is to remove Osprey.

Director-General of the ODB Koichiro Nakajima made an apology about the accident and spoke in regards to helipad construction. He said that he is aware of the further anxiety residents will feel due to new building of helipad, but asked that residents allow the ODB to make its best efforts.

(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)

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高江区民、オスプレイ配備撤回を要請　「墜落不安抱えた生活に」

琉球新報　2016年12月20日 12:01 

仲嶺久美子区長らに対し、事故について謝罪し頭を下げる沖縄防衛局の中嶋浩一郎局長（右）＝２０日午前１０時半ごろ、嘉手納町の沖縄防衛局

　米軍普天間飛行場所属の垂直離着陸輸送機ＭＶ２２オスプレイの墜落事故を受け、東村高江の区民が２０日午前、嘉手納町の沖縄防衛局でオスプレイの配備撤回を要請した。仲嶺久美子区長は「今後高江区がヘリパッドに囲まれた生活を余儀なくされ、区民は一層、騒音と墜落の不安を抱えての生活となる」とした上で「区民の不安と基地の負担軽減を実現するにはオスプレイの配備撤回しかない」と強く求めた。

　中嶋浩一郎局長は事故について謝罪した後、ヘリパッドの建設について「新たに造ることでさらに不安ということも十分承知している。精いっぱいのことはやらせていただきたい」と話した。【琉球新報電子版】

英文へ→Takae residents request removal of Osprey to ODB in light of recent crash accident