"Fish Eagle" Arrives at Miyako Island for the First Time Amid Strong Protests

Reference News Network, June 30 According to Japan's Akahata on June 30, on the morning of the 29th, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft arrived at Miyako Airport in Miyakojima City, Okinawa Prefecture for the first time. It is reported that this is part of a large-scale joint military exercise called "Resolute Dragon" conducted by the Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Marine Corps, focusing on medical treatment and transportation of injured personnel. On that day, a large number of local citizens gathered around the airport, shouting slogans such as "Dangerous Osprey, get out of Miyako Island," expressing strong protests.

Previously, the Okinawa Prefectural Government had explicitly requested the U.S. military to stop using civilian airports and called on the Ground Self-Defense Force to refrain from using the Osprey for training, but the Ministry of Defense ignored this. On that day, the Osprey stayed on the airport tarmac for about 10 minutes. During this time, team members carried a stretcher with a simulated injured person to the front of the aircraft and then returned, confirming the pick-up and drop-off process.

The Ground Self-Defense Force originally planned to send the Osprey from Futenma Base to Miyako Airport under the guise of "disaster response" to conduct transportation exercises for supplies and injured personnel. However, due to four consecutive days of bad weather starting from the 25th, the exercise was forced to be interrupted. Ultimately, the formal injured personnel transportation exercise was canceled, and only a procedural confirmation was conducted. The outside world generally believes that this is an attempt to establish a precedent for using Miyako Airport, thereby paving the way for its militarization.

Outside the isolation fence of Miyako Airport, citizens gathered and angrily shouted "No Osprey allowed" and "Stop preparing for war" amid the thunderous noise generated by the Osprey's landing. Sayoko Shimizu, a co-representative of the "No Missile Base Miyako Island Residents Liaison Association," accused: "Once Miyako Airport is militarily utilized, it will become a target for attacks. This is not about 'disaster relief' at all, but a genuine military training, which will turn our island into a battlefield."

Former city council member of the Japanese Communist Party, Kaki Uesato, stated: "In the past, the (Miyakojima) city government firmly prohibited the Osprey or U.S. military from entering, but since the current mayor, Kaku Kazu, set this bad precedent, the situation has completely changed. To prevent Okinawa from becoming a battlefield again, we will fight resolutely to the end." (Translated by Chen Rui)