Citizens protest without specifically showing Kagoshima deployment of U.S. military unmanned aircraft, communication to the locals

　The Kyushu Defense Bureau reported that the Maritime Self -Defense Force's Kanoya Air Base (Kanoya City, Kagoshima Prefecture) is planning to deploy the MQ9 on Tuesday that it is considering temporary deployment to the city.In the future, while informing the intention to enter the field survey, the number of deployments, the timing, and period of the deployment were all "undecided".

　The director of the Defense Bureau, Atsushi Endo, visited the Kanoya City Hall on this day and met the director of the mayor of Ryuji Gobara and others private.He explained that the need for warning monitoring activities around the Southwest Islands is growing, and "Kanoya Base has judged the optimal in an early study of deploying unmanned aircraft, from a geographical perspective."He was coordinating the field survey, and said that he would request the city again during the investigation.

　According to officials, the US military assumed that the MQ9 of about seven aircraft would be deployed at Kanoya Base this spring as early as this spring and operated for about a year.It is expected that about 100 US military officials will be stationed for the operation, but the visits did not say that these specific plans would not be decided unless they were investigated.

　When asked about the possibility of developing a constant deployment, the Defense Bureau emphasized that "request for temporary deployment at this time" and "in the event that it happens in various circumstances.Is a major premise to explain carefully. "

　Kanoya Base has been accepting some relocation of KC130 aerial refueling machine training stationed in Iwakuni Base (Yamaguchi Prefecture) since 2019, and Mayor Shigeru Nakanishi said, "We will not accept any further US military training."rice field.

　When the city recognized the mayor's remarks, the Defense Bureau said, "I know that there was such a statement.""I would like to confirm how the temporary deployment of the drone to be asked this time is positioned in the mayor's thoughts," said the director of the Defense Bureau.

　After visiting, Mr. Gohara told the press, "I would like to scrutinize the content and convey questions because it was my first explanation."

　Manabu Shimodaba of the "Kagoshima no U.S. Army's Association in Kagoshima", who had been protesting in front of the city hall, said, "Under the Japan -US Status Agreement, the U.S. military that the government cannot say is stationed.I can't forgive it. I strongly protest the government that complies with US requests.(Tomoji Okumura, Shin Inano)

　MQ9 is an unmanned General Atomics, with an attack and reconnaissance type.According to officials in the Ministry of Defense, it is reconnaissance type that is considering temporary deployment at Kanoya base.With China's strengthening to the ocean, the aim is to strengthen vigilance monitoring southwest, including the Senkaku Islands (Okinawa Prefecture).

　The Japan Coast Guard also conducted a demonstration experiment in 2020 using the MQ9 reconnaissance type.It is a propeller machine with a total length of 11.7 meters and a width of 24 meters, and it seems that the type is deployed at Kanoya base.

　U.S. military has been operating unmanned aircraft in Japan.In 2014, Misawa Base (Aomori Prefecture) was launched at the unmanned reconnaissance machine "Global Hawk" at Yokota Base (Tokyo) in 2017.Both operate for several months out of the year.

　However, this is the first time to deploy at the SDF base.The Ministry of Defense has been promoting US military training and the maintenance of the SDF base for the SDF in the proximity of Mojima (Nishinomiya, Kagoshima Prefecture), and the attitude of Japan and the United States in cooperation with Southwest Defense has become clear.

　It is expected to operate unmanned aircraft in Kanoya base 24 hours a day.Adjustments with local governments, such as the influence of the U.S. military officials and the surroundings, are piled up.(Naomi Matsuyama, Narusawa Resolution)