Yamaguchi Governor Accepts U.S. Osprey Deployment

Yamaguchi, Aug. 29 (Jiji Press)--Yamaguchi Governor Tsugumasa Muraoka on Thursday expressed his tolerance of the planned deployment of the U.S. Navy's CMV-22 Osprey transport aircraft at a U.S. military base in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan.

Local municipal leaders, including Iwakuni Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda, have already shown their intention to accept the deployment at the U.S. Marine Corps' Iwakuni air station.

The deployment "will not have a major impact on the living environment of residents near the base," Muraoka said in a statement. He remarked that he will ask the central government to take all possible measures to reduce noise and ensure safety.

The Marine Corps version of Osprey aircraft is deployed at the U.S. military's Futenma air station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, and the Air Force version at the military's Yokota Air Base in Tokyo.

The Navy version will be stationed in Japan for the first time, with the deployment slated for later this year.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]