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Another Japanese City cuts friendly ties with U.S. Navy |
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September 22, 2000
TOKYO, AP - A second Japanese city is ending friendly ties with the U.S. Navy to protest noisy aircraft-landing exercises at a nearby airfield, news reports said Thursday. Yamato City made the decision after local residents lodged the highest number of complaints in 10 years about noise from nighttime takeoff and landing exercises at Atsugi Naval Air Station near Tokyo, national Asahi newspaper said, citing Yamato Mayor Kimiyasu Tsuchiya. Residents filed 550 complaints with the city office, Kyodo News Agency said, citing unidentified local officials. The reports didn't specify the period over which the protests were received. The Navy conducted night landing drills Sept. 5-8 and launched a weeklong round of exercises on Monday, ignoring requests by local officials to relocate the practice, Kyodo said. Tsuchiya was scheduled to hold a press conference later Thursday, said a Yamato city official who declined further comment. The U.S. Navy had not received notification of Yamato's decision, said Capt. Eric Butterbaugh, a spokesman for U.S. Forces Japan. He declined further comment. Yamato City's decision to end friendly ties with the Navy would be the second this week by a Japanese city. The city of Misawa in northern Aomori prefecture (state) said Tuesday it was severing friendly ties after the local government received almost 50 complaints about drills held earlier this month. As a result of the severed ties, Navy officials will not be invited to city-sponsored events, the national Asahi newspaper said. Yamato City will also begin opposing the arrival of U.S. aircraft carriers at Yokosuka Naval Base, also near Tokyo, the Asahi added. It did not elaborate. Atsugi and Misawa airfields are located near residential areas, and representatives of both cities have requested that the Navy hold such exercises elsewhere. |