U.S. Helicopters fly over Okinawan Elementary School despite agreement to avoid the airspace reached in wake of window-dropping incident
January 18, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo
The Japanese Ministry of Defense announced on the afternoon of January 18 that three U.S. military helicopters flew over Futenma Daini Elementary School in Ginowan City earlier that day.
It was the same elementary school where, in December of last year, a window dropped from a U.S. heavy transport helicopter onto the school’s exercise ground.
After the incident, the Japanese and American governments had agreed that the U.S. would, “Do everything within their capabilities,” to avoid the airspace over the elementary school.
This was the first flight over the same school’s airspace confirmed by the Japanese government since the agreement.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Japan, who operate the helicopters, have asserted that the helicopters did not fly over the elementary school, based on testimony from the pilots and radar tracking.
However, the Japanese Ministry of Defense released to media outlets footage taken from cameras placed at Futenma Daini Elementary School showing the airspace above the school as evidence.
(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)
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