5 Ospreys to arrive at US air base in Tokyo suburbs

April 3, 2018

Tokyo- Five CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft will arrive at the US Air Force's Yokota base in the Tokyo suburbs later this week, US Forces Japan said Tuesday.

The Ospreys are set to make a brief stop at the base before leaving for training. After two to three months of absence, they will return to Yokota and operate from there.

The Japanese foreign and defense ministries issued statements welcoming the deployment of CV-22 Ospreys.

The ministries said the US move will reinforce the deterrent power and response capacity of the Japan-US security alliance and contribute to stability in the Asia-Pacific region at a time when Japan faces an increasingly tough security environment.

However, the Osprey deployment is certain to boost the anxieties of local residents, following a spate of accidents involving the aircraft in Japan and overseas.

The CV-22 Osprey, a variant of the Marine Corps' MV-22 type, is mainly used for air force special operations.

A total of 10 CV-22 Ospreys are expected to be deployed at the Yokota base in stages over the next few years, along with 450 new personnel. Jiji Press