Photo/Illutration Marines disembark from an Osprey aircraft during a drill held at the U.S. military’s Naha Military Port in Okinawa Prefecture on Feb. 9. (Jun Kaneko)

NAHA—Local authorities blasted the U.S. military for conducting a drill at a port here involving Osprey and other aircraft, saying such training was not agreed upon by the Japanese and U.S. governments.

Tilt-rotor Osprey transport aircraft landed at Naha Military Port on Feb. 9 as part of a drill that will continue until Feb. 13.

The Marines announced the drill on Feb. 7, saying it is intended to prepare for humanitarian support and evacuations of noncombatants. The drill started Feb. 8 and will involve 250 Marines and CH-53E transport helicopters, in addition to the Osprey.

Officials of Naha city and the Okinawa prefectural government said that using the port for a drill was not spelled out in an agreement reached by the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee.

The agreement said the main purpose of using Naha Military Port is to gain access to harbor and oil storage facilities.

Prefectural and city officials had repeatedly urged Japan’s Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry as well as the U.S. military in Japan to cancel the drill because it is in conflict with the agreement and would impose an additional burden on residents.

The Marine Corps told The Asahi Shimbun that the drill is the first to take place at Naha Military Port.

The Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau initially said it was not aware of the planned drill, but it later acknowledged the U.S. plan.

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