VTOL MV-22 transport Osprey aircraft lands on Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City at 10:17 p.m. on January 5
January 7, 2021 Ryukyu Shimpo
Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft, among other types of aircraft, flew over Ginowan City approaching from the south and landed on the runway of Futenma Air Station, even after 10:00 p.m., on January 5 and 6. According to noise measurements taken by the Okinawa Prefecture and Ginowan City governments on January 5 at Ueojana Community Hall south of the runway, noise at 9:53 p.m. reached the maximum level of the day of 101.0 decibels, noise at 10:03 p.m. was 92.2 decibels, and twice between 10:14 and 10:28 p.m. noise was as high as 89.0 decibels.
The base damage phone number 110 for Ginowan received 14 complaints on January 5, including “there have been sounds like explosions all day long”, “I can’t sleep”, and “the low-altitude flying is loud”. Ginowan City is sending these complaints to the US armed forces and Okinawa Defense Bureau and requesting that consideration be given to civilians’ daily lives. A notice to airmen (NOTAM) from the U.S. armed forces says that Futenma Air Station will be used from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on January 5-7. On January 6, U.S. Navy P-8 anti-submarine patrol aircraft from overseas repeatedly took off from and landed at Futenma Air Station.
(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)
