Japan warns U.S. over Okinawa gunfire<\/p>\n
TOKYO (Reuter): The United States military's accidental firing
\nof uranium-tipped bullets near Okinawa could cause "fissures" in
\nrelations with Japan, chief government spokesman Seiroku Kajiyama
\nsaid yesterday.<\/p>\n
As fallout from the incident grew, Kajiyama also berated
\nJapan's Foreign Ministry for failing to swiftly notify Okinawan
\nauthorities about the mishap, which has become a new rallying cry
\nfor critics who want to close U.S. bases in Japan.<\/p>\n
In what has become a public relations disaster for U.S. troops
\nin Japan, U.S. Marine Corps AV-8V Harrier jets inadvertently
\nfired the bullets during drills in December 1995 and January
\n1996.<\/p>\n
The U.S. military has said bullets containing depleted uranium
\nhad been incorrectly labeled as armor-piercing ammunition and
\nwere used by mistake. The exercise took place on a deserted coral
\nisland 90 kilometers from Okinawa island.<\/p>\n
"I fear this will set back the solution of the Okinawa problem
\nand result in fissures in the Japan-U.S. relationship," Kajiyama
\ntold a news conference.<\/p>\n
The Foreign Ministry was informed by U.S. authorities of the
\ninadvertent firing of the 1,520 bullets on Jan. 15, but did not
\ninform Okinawan authorities until Feb. 10, following a report in
\na U.S. daily newspaper.<\/p>\n
"I feel anger at the obtuseness of the Foreign Ministry," said
\nKajiyama, adding he sympathized with Okinawan anger at what he
\nsaid was the latest in a series of mishaps and misdeeds by U.S.
\nforces stationed there.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda told parliament the delay was
\nbecause the ministry needed to get more information from
\nWashington.<\/p>\n
"I regret we did not move promptly and that insufficient
\nconsideration was given to the people of Okinawa," he said.<\/p>\n
The Pentagon itself waited a year before telling Tokyo, saying
\nthe U.S. government was not required to notify the Japanese
\nunless there were health risks.<\/p>\n
A U.S. team assessed the environmental and health impact of
\nthe accidental use of the radioactive bullets, in which depleted
\nuranium helps pierce armor, and found there were no risks, U.S.
\nauthorities have said.<\/p>\n
The incident comes after a year of friction between Tokyo and
\nOkinawa over the heavy concentration of U.S. bases on the tiny
\nisland 1,600 km southwest of Tokyo. Half of the 47,000 U.S.
\ntroops in Japan are stationed on Okinawa.<\/p>\n
The coming months are especially sensitive as Tokyo is in the
\nmidst of a dispute with some Okinawan landlords who have refused
\nto renew leases for land used by U.S. military bases.<\/p>\n
The leases with about 3,000 landowners expire May 14. Okinawan
\nantipathy to the U.S. bases, which occupy about one-fifth of the
\nsub-tropical island, exploded in September 1995 after the rape of
\na local schoolgirl by three U.S. servicemen.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/japan-warns-us-over-okinawa-gunfire-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}