NAHA — While low-altitude flights by U.S. military helicopters in central Tokyo have become a problem, U.S. Forces aircraft have also repeatedly been spotted flying low in the country’s southernmost prefecture of Okinawa — where 70% of U.S. military-dedicated facilities in Japan are located — since the end of 2020.
The low-altitude flights by U.S. military aircraft have been observed over Okinawa’s remote islands and the northern part of its main island. The U.S. military claims that the flights are part of necessary training and conform to the minimum altitude standards agreed to between the United States and Japan. However, prefectural authorities…