Text Fwd: A new class-action by Okinawans over noises from US jetfighters

* Text fwd from M. S. Japan, also forwarded by Corzon Valdez Fabros on Jan. 25, 2011


Friends,

Okinawans have stood up in anger, again. 22,000 Okinawans have filed a new ( the third time) collective lawsuit against Japanese central government, requesting tens of billion yen in compensation, over the unbearable noise arising from the U.S.Kadena Air Base.

The current situation at the base is unusual: such a big temporary buildup of US jet-fighters.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20110122-00000007-ryu-oki

More than 30 USAF jet-fighers, including F-16 fighters from Alaska and F-22 fighters
have arrived for USAF military trainings at the US Kadena AFB, staying there till mid-Febrary.
They are planned to stage mid-air war drills with F-15 fighters based at Kadena AFB.

In the similar drill last year, the highest, 108 decibel noise, was recorded.
This year, those fighters began its full-scale training around Monday, but already since 18th,
150 times of noises over 70 decibel were recorded everyday, and especially on 20th,
such noise was recorded 180 times. Last year, the average number of noises over 70
decibel per day was 113 times.

The situation is the same in Futenma. Oct. 5th last year, the record of 123.6 decibel
noise was marked when F-15s based at Kadena AFB came to Futenma.

It is said the noise of 120 decibel is similar to that heard when you are near the engine
of an moving airplane--the limitation of human hearing sense.

Such US fighters conducted last year, regardless of the request by the Mayor of Ginowan,
' low-approach flight training' withouth landing, making all-the more unbearable noises to those living around.

Japan's Defense Ministry has done nothing to the request by locals, also in this year.
The new class-action may have been the reason why R.Gates was softened
as to the Futenma relocation issue when he came to Japan last week.

The first, and the second lawsuits were won by Okinawans, but our government has done nothing as well.

Instead, they are now just discussing moving some such drills of F-15s based at Kadena AFB
to Guam, with the relocation cost paid by Japanese tax payers, along with relocations of the US Marines' military drills to the mainland of Japan also paid by Japanese.