The transport aircraft Osprey, which is temporarily deployed at the Ground Self-Defense Force camp in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, has begun training flights at facilities of the Self-Defense Forces other than the Kisarazu camp, such as Tateyama City.
The Ministry of Defense plans to deploy 17 Osprey transport aircraft of the Ground Self-Defense Force at Saga Airport, but due to lack of discussions with the local community, provisional deployment to the Kisarazu station is underway. Seven of these have been deployed by May this year.
Some of the deployed aircraft had been flying around the camp and over Tokyo Bay for inspection and training of the aircraft, but training will be started at the facilities of the Self-Defense Forces other than the Kisarazu camp. On the morning of the 26th, I flew to "Tateyama Air Base" in Tateyama City and "Hyakuri Base" in Omitama City, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Of these, at Tateyama Air Base, the Osprey that flew in at noon took off and landed at the base twice in about 10 minutes, and then flew away again toward the Kisarazu station.
According to the Ministry of Defense, Osprey plans to conduct training at the "Higashifuji Exercise Area" in Shizuoka Prefecture in the future, and will fly away from urban areas, residential areas, hospitals, etc. in consideration of safety.
Following the first flight, Mayor Kenichi Kanemaru of Tateyama City said, "I would like to request safe flight and consideration for the environment, and also request information to dispel the anxiety of the citizens."