Mageshima
Mageshima

The Death of an Island

This website is dedicated to the reporting of the ongoing destruction of Mageshima Island and the surrounding environment. The death of a beautiful island due to corporate greed, Japanese and American government corruption, and dishonesty by the Japanese Ministry of Defense and the United States Department of Defense.

A very sad story of how this island, once a thriving community of over 500 people, was slowing turned into an airstrip with now confirmed plans to convert the island into a military base. These pages expose those who contributed and continue to contribute to the demise of this gem of Japan. The facts, which will be listed in reverse chronological order, show the events which led to this tragedy and should serve as a wake up call to the inhabitants of neighboring islands. The military is headed for your neighborhoods as well.

The situation on Mageshima Island highlights an alarming, and growing trend, towards establishing military bases along the southern islands of Japan. The real push behind these bases is, of course, the United States Government and the United States Department of Defense, with the Japanese government and the Japanese Ministry of Defense as willing accomplices.

The fight to save this island is most likely lost but both governments and military agencies have their eyes on Tanegashima Island next, which can still be saved.a
Uninhabited island turned into a national defense fortress... Mage Island seen from the air

無人島が国防の要塞に…空から見る馬毛島

January 11, 2024 - On the 12th, the construction of the Self-Defense Forces base on Magejima, Nishinoomote City, Kagoshima Prefecture, with the relocation of US military aircraft training, marked one year since construction began on the base itself. The scenery of the island seen from above on the 8th had completely changed since before construction began. Trees are being cut down and land cleared, unpaved roads that appear to be used for work have been laid out throughout the area, and heavy machinery is in operation everywhere. Along the coast, a temporary pier for large ships to dock extended offshore from the quay, and buildings were lined up even inland. Uninhabited islands that have been at the mercy of national policy seem to be turning into fortresses.
“Changes” seen from the sky on Mage Island One year after the start of base construction, the “current state” of Mage Island that is invisible to citizens

馬毛島空から見た”変化”基地着工から1年 市民に見えない馬毛島の「今」

January 12, 2024 - Today marks one year since construction began on the uninhabited island of Nishinoomote City, Magejima, for a Self-Defense Force base that will involve the relocation of American military training. KKB has been documenting the changes on the island over the past year from the air, while the situation continues to be closed to non-related personnel and local citizens. I've watched the island change from above almost every month, but never before has there been so little greenery, and it looks like almost all of the greenery has been stripped away.
Photographed by drone of Mage Island, where construction work on the Self-Defense Forces base is progressing (no sound)

自衛隊基地工事が進む馬毛島をドローンで撮影(無音です)

July 11, 2023 - On the 12th, six months have passed since the start of construction of the Self-Defense Force base, which will involve the relocation of US military aircraft training to Magejima, Nishinoomote City, Kagoshima Prefecture. Many work boats are moored on the east coast of the island, and even Tanegashima, which is on the opposite coast about 10 kilometers away, can be seen as empty. On the 10th, a small unmanned drone photographed the island as it was being transformed into a base.

Jul 11, 2023 - 鹿児島県西之表市馬毛島への米軍機訓練移転を伴う自衛隊基地整備は12日で基地本体の着工から6カ月がたった。島東岸には多くの作業船が停泊し、約10キロ離れた対岸の種子島でも物々しさを感じさせる。10日、基地に変わりゆく島の姿を小型無人機ドローンで撮影した。
Magejima landscape photo collection taken from the boat

船上から撮影した馬毛島風景写真集


On July 17, 2010, Mageshima was videotaped from a recreational fishing boat and the video was included on a page about the island. Please see the link below.
REALLY SAD

What the Japanese government has done to Mageshima Island is a crime. A bit of Mageshima history follows and was obtained from a page written in Japanese and translated using Google....the English is not great but understandable:

Magejima is located approximately 12 kilometers offshore from Tanegashima Nishinoomote. It is a flat island with a triangular shape of approximately 12 kilometers in circumference and a height of 70 meters. 99% of Mage Island is private land. Currently, runways are being constructed on the north and south sides of Mage Island, and it has been reported as a potential relocation site for the U.S. military's Futenma Air Base and aircraft carrier-based aircraft takeoff and landing training.

By the way, except for being used as a base for fishing for flying fish, Magejima was an uninhabited island from 1901 until an attempt was made to turn it into a ranch. After the war, pioneer groups settled on the island, and about half of the island was used for housing and sugarcane cultivation. At its peak, the island's population reached around 500 people, and elementary and junior high schools were also built. It was so crowded that there were regular flights to Mage Island from near the starting point of National Route 58, which is now Nishinoomote Old Port.

After that, the island was acquired by companies for the purpose of oil stockpiling, and in 1981, it became an uninhabited island again. Magejima became famous because of an abnormal outbreak of locusts. It has been widely featured on TV and in newspapers, and the natural wonders of Mage Island have been in the spotlight.

Regarding Magejima Island in Nishinoomote City, Kagoshima Prefecture, which was recently specified in the Japan-U.S. Joint Document as a candidate site for the relocation of aircraft carrier takeoff and landing training (FCLP) for the U.S. Forces in Japan, the Ministry of Defense is working to improve the defense posture of the southwest region. It reveals the outline of the Self-Defense Force facilities to be constructed on the island and the flight routes of the FCLP.

In addition, an airstrip (currently, there is something like an airstrip) was constructed in the north-south direction, and a training ground was also established in preparation for invading remote islands. We are also considering using it as a base for the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces from all over the country to gather and deploy in the event of a major disaster or invasion of a remote island. The Ministry of Defense estimates that grants to local governments will be approximately 25 billion yen over 10 years.

In addition, the Self-Defense Forces facility will be used as a base for the Land, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces, where landing craft and transport helicopters will conduct landings and training for paratroopers, and it will also stockpile support supplies. It is also known that quarters for Self-Defense Forces will be built on Tanegashima, and quarters for U.S. soldiers will be built on Magejima.

What will happen to Magejima from now on? Residents of Tanegashima are worried.

The following link is to the same page on a Japanese site. The pictures will make you cry to see that this beautiful place, and lifestyle, has been destroyed to make room for the military.

Note: use Google translate to read the page in English.
Military Presence

After only a couple of years in our new home, we began to notice many changes. The first, and most obvious change was the decision by the Nakatane Town elected officials to allow the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to be stationed at the local community center, only a mere 2 miles from our home. We could listen to the intermittent sound of JSDF vehicles driving along the roads close to our home. From that point, something told us that Tanegashima was not ever going to be the same again. Then one after another, decisions were made to transform Mageshima Island into a military base, allow military training on beautiful pristine Tanegashima beaches, and most recently, to build military facilities in the towns of Nakatane, and Minamitane. We realized the simple and peaceful way of life on Tanegashima was not ever going to be the same again.
Mageshima Base Already Decided

For Mageshima, the fight is already over. The plan to build a military base there was already decided by the American and Japanese governments many years ago. The residents of Tanegashima were originally told the island would only be used for Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) even though plans for a military base were on file with the Japanese Ministry of Defense. The residents of Tanegashima wasted months doing sound checks, protesting with signs and marches, and believing an environmental impact study of Mageshima would be completed, which was cancelled as of January 2022. The plans to build a base on Mageshima island will continue regardless of the desires of Tanegashima residents. A new threat is looming, the building of military bases and facilities on Tanegashima. This is now the fight that Tanegashima residents should be fighting.
Message to Tanegashima Friends and Residents

Many of our friends on the island were born, and grew up on Tanegashima. Many of our other friends moved to this island to escape the hectic cities of the north, to enjoy the incredible beauty of this island, to ride the fantastic waves, to be self-sufficient, or to simply be in a great place to raise a family. All of these things are going to go away unless all of you act now. Do not be one of the sheep controlled by wolves. The Japanese and American governments have lied to you and will continue to do so until they achieve their goals. Do not give up your honor by allowing yourself to be bought. The result of your inaction now will be the destruction of your way of life on this island. Please read all the information on this page to get the real story. Following is a list of contacts and groups involved in keeping the American military off this island. Please join in this cause before it is too late.
What can you do?

Please support our effort to keep the military off Tanegashima Island. A link to our support page will be set up soon. Please continue reading to learn more about this terrible threat to the Tanegashima way of life. The following video is a great overview of the present situation.
Watch Protect the Island

The video, "Protect the Island" was produced by Takashi Kawamura, a man we met at a dinner party during the Summer of 2020. He strongly opposes the addition of a military base on Magashima Island and he made the "Protect the Island" video to explain events leading up to the creation of this base. Please watch the video and then visit the Protect the Island page for more information and to learn what you can do to keep the military from destroying Mageshima and Tanegashima.
Please visit the Protect the Island page
Recent Mageshima Base News

This page has updated news information about the progress of the military and efforts of Tanegashima residents against the building of U.S. military facilities on Mageshima listed in reverse chronological order.
Visit the Mageshima base news page
In The News

The following news stories are in reverse chronological order and represent a timeline leading up to the present situation regarding the military presence on Tanegashima and Mageshima islands. Please check this page often to see the latest updates and to stay informed.

Japan Building the Biggest US Military Base



The construction of a military base on Mageshima island is quickly moving ahead towards completion. Already approximately half of the trees on the island have been removed.
The Mageshima Island will Become the Biggest US Military Base near the South China Sea
The Deceitful Militarization of Mageshima



SNA (Birmingham) - Japan is beginning construction today, January 12, of a new base intended to be used primarily by the US military on the uninhabited island of Mageshima in Kagoshima Prefecture, despite years of resistance to the controversial plan and a questionable process by which the island was acquired by the government.
Japan Begins Construction on Mageshima Island
Japan to Purchase Tomahawk Cruise Missiles



Tokyo, Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is in talks with the United States to purchase up to 500 U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles by fiscal 2027, Japanese government sources said Wednesday.
Japan in Talks with U.S. to Purchase Tomahawk Cruise Missiles (link removed)
Mageshima Island SDF Base Approved



Kagoshima, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)--Kagoshima Governor Koichi Shiota on Tuesday expressed his tolerance of a project to build a Japanese Self-Defense Forces base on Mageshima in line with the planned relocation of U.S. military aircraft drills to the island in the southwestern Japan prefecture.
Governor Tolerates Plan to Build SDF Base in Mageshima Island (link removed)
Tanegashima Military Facilities Already Approved



The Defense Ministry presented a draft construction plan on Tanegashima island, near Mageshima island, for the project at the end of last year. The plan showed SDF facilities would be built at Nakatane and Minamitane towns, which both have effectively approved the relocation plan.
Ministry tells island city it will host SDF base, U.S. drills
Tanegashima, The Next Okinawa



In 2016 it was reported the US military had polluted Okinawa’s drinking water – later believed to have affected a third of the population – following the discharge of tens of thousands of liters of firefighting foam (which was blamed on a malfunctioning sprinkler system). The ingestion of the chemicals in question, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), is linked to a litany of maladies, from cancers of the internal organs to severe immunological defects.

Despite that, as of last year, Japanese government officials were still waiting for permission to inspect the offending Kadena Air Base. The story typifies the worrying nature of the US military’s ability to self-police in Japan, and highlights their continued exertion of soft power.

Takeshi Kawamura echoes this sentiment: “The US military has rights to unregulated flight courses and has the right to arrest and convict their personnel when crimes such as sexual assault are committed upon Japanese soil. The US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement is heavily in favor of the US military, but the Japanese Government is a compliant partner,” he says. “Our Government is putting the requests of the US military above that of its own citizens”.
Opposition Increasing for New US Training Site on Mageshima
New training site for U.S. military aircraft



The ministry is proceeding with the project to set up a Self-Defense Forces facility on Mageshima island in Nishinoomote to relocate the U.S. military’s landing practice site from Iwoto island, also known as Iwojima, south of Tokyo.
New training site for U.S. military aircraft opposed by local mayor
Maenohama Beach Invaded by the Military



In a move to flex muscles against regional threats, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) conducted an isolated island recovery exercise from November 14 to 21, 2019.
Japan Launched Largest Amphibious Drill Since WWII
SDF carries out amphibious exercise to keep China in check
Tanegashima Beaches Will Be Destroyed



The United States, believing its Asian allies - and Japan in particular - must help contain growing Chinese military power, has pushed Japan to abandon its decades-old bare-bones home island defense in favor of exerting its military power in Asia.
Japan's Far-Flung Island Defense Plan Seeks to Turn Tables on China
What America Really Wants

The basic thinking of American military strategy is to keep all fighting off American soil. This obviously makes sense in order to avoid loss of American life, destruction of American property, and negative economic impacts that a war often brings to a country. The two main adversaries of the United States of America at the present time are China and Russia. Both countries have formidable military capabilities, along with huge arsenals of nuclear weapons. Any military confrontations in this generation ultimately leads to a huge loss of life along with widespread destruction. Because of this, America is taking steps to ensure that any fighting with China or Russia be confined to locations close to those countries. Japan is the perfect buffer zone for America. Placing military installations in Japan creates a first line of defense for America. Any fighting between America and China would undoubtedly be fought on Japanese soil. Since WWII, America has always used Japan like a puppet and this situation is no different. Japan extends from approximately 20° north (Okinotorishima) latitude to 45° north (Benten-jima) latitude. This is a distance of about 2,735 kilometers (1,700 miles). Beginning at the top of Japan and heading southwest, the actual distance is over 3,000 kilometers (1860 miles). The current plan is for America to extend their military influence along the entire west coast of Japan with emphasis being placed on the islands stretching from Okinawa to Tanegashima.
Target Tanegashima

The red circle on the map shows the location of Tanegashima with the smaller dot next to the island showing the location of Mageshima. The installation of a military base on Mageshima and future bases on Tanegashima will turn Tanegashima into a a first strike target in the event of a war with China. Rockets used in modern warfare are still not that accurate and the bombing of Tanegashima military bases will result in a tremendous loss of life and widespread destruction of properties and infrastructure. The tactic of destroying the defensive capability of a country is known as Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and was first used during the Second World War and then was used in virtually every war thereafter. If a war occurs between Japan and China the question will not be, will Tanegashima be bombed, the question will be when.
Say Goodbye to YOUR Beautiful Beaches

Save Tanegashima Island before it's too late. The Japanese military is already making its way into everyday life on Tanegashima with the American military soon to follow. The elected officials who control Nakatane Town are very PRO-AMERICAN and have sold out for the promise of money and are already allowing the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to occupy the main community center, located a mere two kilometers from our home. The elected officials of Minamitane Town are also PRO-AMERICAN and allowed the largest Japanese amphibious training drill (see picture) since 1945, on Maenohama Beach. Both communities have already approved plans for JSDF bases.
Tanegashima....the Next Okinawa

The United States maintains American military bases in Japan as part of the U.S and Japan alliance since 1951. Most U.S. military are in Okinawa Prefecture. In 2013, there were approximately 50,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan with 40,000 dependents and 5,500 American civilians employed by the United States Department of Defense. About 26,000 U.S. military personnel are on Okinawa Island.

There are 13 United States military bases on Okinawa Island (shown in red on the map). Approximately 62% of all United States bases in Japan are on Okinawa. They cover 25% of Okinawa island. The major bases are Futenma, Kadena, Hansen, Torii, Schwab, Foster, and Kinser. There are 28 U.S. military facilities on Okinawa. They are mainly concentrated in the central area. At one point, Okinawa hosted approximately 1,200 nuclear warheads. There were several nuclear weapons incidents on Okinawa and in the sea near the islands.

Okinawans argued for land and private property rights, as farmers were limited by the military presence. They also made antiwar arguments, arguing that they did not want their island used as an instrument to prepare for war and result in the death of more people. The U.S. argued that the military presence in Okinawa is helpful for economic stimulus for the citizens. During the Vietnam War Okinawans echoed even more antiwar sentiment, and protested nuclear weapons being stationed in Okinawa.

The residential area surrounding the Kadena Air Base has been subject to dangerously loud noise exposure from aircraft. During the Vietnam War, sound levels were dangerous enough to cause hearing loss for residents. Studies from noise recordings over the decades have allowed for the risk of hearing loss among Okinawans in the area.

The 1971 Okinawa Reversion Agreement officially ended the U.S. military occupation on Okinawa. The bases primarily exist to serve Japanese and American strategic interests and are unpopular with most local residents, with recent efforts to move the bases out of core areas following incidents involving military personnel and resultant protests (including the 1995 Okinawa rape incident).

In 2012, an agreement was struck between the United States and Japan to reduce the number of U.S. military personnel on the island, moving 9,000 personnel to other locations and moving bases out of heavily populated Greater Naha, but 10,000 Marines will remain on the island, along with other U.S. military units. Attempts to completely close bases on the southern third of the island, where 90% of the population lives (all but about 120,000 people) have been impeded by local Okinawan opposition to any suggested locations on the island (who demand no U.S. troops at all anywhere on the island).

There has been continued civil unrest from Okinawans for the removal of the condensed military presence on the island. Accidents and crimes against Okinawans by Americans for years are the main factors for the Okinawan opposition. The US has been continuously unwilling to remove troops from Okinawa because of its strategic location for surveillance and deployment for Pacific-Asian foreign affairs.

With such a strong focus of US Forces in Okinawa, residents face economic problems including the highest unemployment in Japan as well as a struggle for investment from outside businesses. Okinawa is being taken advantage of by mainland Japan and forced to cooperate with US forces. Immense public opposition in Okinawa is still met with difficulty to make changes for Okinawan citizens, while 25,000 American troops remain in Okinawa.

U.S. Bases Destroyed the Economy of Okinawa

At the time of Okinawa’s Reversion to Japan in 1972, US Forces-related revenue was 15.5% of the gross prefectural income. In 2008, this ratio decreased to 5.3%. In contrast, the tourism revenue increased from 6.5% in 1972 to 10.9% in 2008, which is more than twice the US Forces-related revenue.
U.S. Bases Destroyed Okinawa

There are an average of 23 incidents or accidents per month in Okinawa, including traffic-related. In addition, there are daily aircraft noise emissions (at times exceeding 100db!) and other adverse environmental impacts associated with the US Forces training. For 66 years since the end of WWII, the excessive weight of the vast US military bases on Okinawa, and the numerous issues associated with them, continue to weigh down heavily on the shoulders of the citizens. These issues are challenges faced by the local population every single day, in various aspects of their daily lives.
American Bases on Okinawa Issues

Japan became a pacifist country with the 1947 constitution, so America was obligated to protect Japan against foreign threats. During the American military occupation of Japan (1945–1952), which followed the Imperial Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay, the United States controlled Okinawa Island and the rest of the Ryukyu Islands. The Amami Islands were returned to Japanese control in 1953. The remaining Ryukyu Islands were returned to Japan on June 17, 1971. America kept numerous U.S. military bases on the islands. There are 32 United States military bases on Okinawa Island by the U.S. and Japan alliance since 1951. U.S. bases on Okinawa played critical roles in the Korean War, Vietnam War, Laotian Civil War, Cambodian campaign, War in Afghanistan, and Iraq War. Okinawa served as a prime staging post for the aforementioned wars. Its ports and airports were used to transport supplies. The base at Camp Chinen, Nanjo City was used by the CIA for covert operations.

Intense use of the island by the US military caused damage to the environment and residents. There were oil and fuel spills. Exposure to toxic substances caused illness of service members such as a nerve agent leak in 1969. Aircraft crashes, hit-and runs and murders killed residents. The perpetrators were often unpunished, since they could not be prosecuted in Okinawa Courts. The 1970s and 80s also had severe pollution of waterways and wells with PFAS toxic chemicals in foam used by fire fighting training at US facilities such as Kadena Air Base.
The following is a PARTIAL LIST of problems, in reverse chronological order, which occurred in Okinawa as a direct result of the U.S. military bases or American military personnel. This list represents a possible future for Tanegashima.
  • - Japan and the US reached an agreement that 9,000 marines stationed on Okinawa will soon leave. The marines will be moved to Guam, Hawaii, or Australia to other military bases. Though the realignment has not happened yet and is speculated to take place in 2024. It is speculated the marines will be moved to Mageshima Island.
  • Wikipedia: Protests of US military presence in Okinawa (English)
  • Wikipedia: 沖縄米軍駐留反対運動 (日本語)
  • - Since the construction of the first American base in April 1945, numerous issues have arisen in Okinawa about its adverse environmental impact. Sexual assault allegations involving military personnel have also set off alarm bells. The bases have contaminated Okinawa’s drinking water with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). If exposed, the substance causes harm to the body’s immune system and hormones and increases risk of cancer and cholesterol levels. Three main sources have been linked back to the military bases- firefighter training, aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) leaks, and disposal of AFFF. There are traces of PFAS in Okinawa’s water supply, exposing many Okinawans to the substance. Along with environmental issues, residents in Futenma have reported debris falling from the sky and destroying their rooftops. Rowdy military drills disturb residents across the island. Loud noise regularly comes from planes and helicopters constantly flying. There have been instances of helicopter and plane crashes on campuses and an elementary school; one in 1959 where a jet crashed and killed 18 people. Another occurred in 2016 when an Osprey crashed off the coast of Abu, Nago City.
  • AsAMNews: US Marine base blamed for rising crime in Japan (English)
  • - Bill Clinton promised to close the base in 1996. But plans for more construction and a heightened focus on the Pacific put the islands and their unique biodiversity at risk indefinitely. ONE APRIL AFTERNOON in Tokyo, the U.S. president made a welcome promise to reduce his military’s presence in Okinawa. Three U.S. service members had raped a 12-year-old Okinawan girl the previous September, and enraged locals had spent months protesting the Japanese prefecture’s dense network of U.S. bases.

    “When the Prime Minister asked us to consider the concerns of the people of Okinawa and I became acquainted with them, as a result of some of the unfortunate incidents that you know well about,” said President Bill Clinton, standing side by side with Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, in the April 1996 speech, “it bothered me that these matters had not been resolved before now, before this time.” His administration agreed to close the Futenma Air Station, a major Marine Corps base in the populous Okinawan city of Ginowan, within five to seven years.

    On Tuesday evening in Washington, 87 Okinawan and international civil society groups will send a letter to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, urging the Democratic Congress under President Joe Biden to at last close the base. It has been more than 26 years since Clinton promised a swift end to the Futenma Air Station, and the Japanese and U.S. governments have spent the decades pushing environmentally destructive plans for construction and moving goalposts for their completion. As the years dragged on, the likely timeline for Futenma’s closure pushed from the original 2001-03 estimates to 2025, to 2035, to 2040, to — as the letter’s authors argue — realistically, never.
  • The Intercept: As Taiwan tensions build, concerned Okinawans push for U.S. military base closure (English)
  • - In 2020, a water quality study by the Ministry of the Environment found cancer inducing toxins (FOS, or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, and PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid) at 37 water sources near U.S. military bases and industrial areas which exceeded national targets.
  • Wikipedia: United States Forces Japan (English)
  • Wikipedia: 在日米軍 (日本語)
  • - In February, 2019, a referendum for the citizens of Okinawa, over 70% of voters - about 434,000 people - voted against the construction of the new Henoko base. Following the results of the referendum, Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe pushed for an understanding by Okinawan citizens for the relocation of the base. Some Okinawan voters have claimed to feel their voices do not feel heard in Tokyo as the central government still pushes for the move of the base to stay committed to the security alliance between the US and Japan.
  • Wikipedia: Protests of US military presence in Okinawa (English)
  • Wikipedia: 沖縄米軍駐留反対運動 (日本語)
  • - About 70,000 individuals gathered in Naha, the Okinawa Prefecture's capital in opposition to the moving of the Futenma US Marine base to the Henoko Bay, a less populated fishing village compared to Ginowan. The citizens of Okinawa wanted the base moved entirely off of the island rather than across. Environmental groups oppose the relocation to the bay due to the potential harm to coral and dugongs in the bay.
  • Wikipedia: Protests of US military presence in Okinawa (English)
  • Wikipedia: 沖縄米軍駐留反対運動 (日本語)
  • - F-15C from the 44th Fighter Squadron crashed into the sea off Okinawa. The pilot was rescued by the JASDF Air Rescue Wing Naha Detachment.
  • Wikipedia: Kadena Air Base (English)
  • Wikipedia: 嘉手納飛行場 (日本語)
  • - 20-year-old Rina Shimabukuro, is raped and murdered by Kenneth Franklin Gadson, a former Marine and civilian contractor who worked at Kadena Air Base. This case prompted renewed protests against the U.S. military presence in Okinawa. Gadson is sentenced to life in prison.
  • Wikiwand: Protests of US military presence in Okinawa (English)
  • - F-15C of the 44th Fighter Squadron crashed into the ocean off Okinawa. The pilot ejected and was rescued by the Air Rescue Wing Naha Detachment of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
  • Wikipedia: Kadena Air Base (English)
  • Wikipedia: 嘉手納飛行場 (日本語)
  • - Two U.S. military personnel, Seaman Christopher Browning of Athens, Texas, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Skyler Dozierwalker of Muskogee, Oklahoma, were found guilty by the Naha District Court of raping and robbing a woman in her 20s in a parking lot in October. Both admitted committing the crime. The case outraged many Okinawans, a number of whom have long complained of military-related crime on their island, which hosts thousands of U.S. troops. It also sparked tougher restrictions for all 50,000 U.S. military personnel in Japan, including a curfew and drinking restrictions.
  • Wikipedia: United States Forces Japan (English)
  • Wikipedia: 在日米軍 (日本語)
  • - In November 2009, Staff Sgt. Clyde "Drew" Gunn, a U.S. Army soldier stationed at Torii Station was involved in a hit-and-run accident of a pedestrian in Yomitan Village on Okinawa. Later, in April 2010, the soldier was charged with failing to render aid and vehicular manslaughter. Staff Sgt. Gunn, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, was eventually sentenced to two years and eight months in jail on 15 October 2010.
  • Wikipedia: United States Forces Japan (English)
  • Wikipedia: 在日米軍 (日本語)
  • - A Marine Corps Staff Sergeant was court-martialed and convicted for sexual abuse.
  • Okinawa Prefectural Government: US Military Base Issues in Okinawa (English)
  • - There was a field fire at Camp Hansen.
  • Okinawa Prefectural Government: US Military Base Issues in Okinawa (English)
  • - A US Marine Corps CH-53D helicopter crashed into the Okinawa International University. Although there were no injuries involving the students and local residents in this particular incident, the communities surrounding the Air Station live with the constant anxiety of another aircraft incident.
  • Okinawa Prefectural Government: US Military Base Issues in Okinawa (English)
  • - U.S. Marine Corps Major Michael Brown attempted an indecent assault on a Filipina bartender in Okinawa, Japan. The bartender accused Brown of attempting to rape her and of throwing her cell phone into a nearby river; Brown denied the rape charges.
  • Wikipedia: Michael Brown Okinawa assault incident (English)
  • Wikipedia: 沖縄米兵強制わいせつ未遂事件 (日本語)
  • - A U.S. Marine Corps UH-1N helicopter crashes at Camp Hansen.
  • Okinawa Prefectural Government: US Military Base Issues in Okinawa (English)
  • - The 1995 Okinawa rape incident (Japanese: 沖縄米兵少女暴行事件) occurred on September 4, 1995, when three U.S. servicemen, U.S. Navy Seaman Marcus Gill and U.S. Marines Rodrico Harp and Kendrick Ledet, who were all serving at Camp Hansen on Okinawa, rented a van and kidnapped a 12-year-old Okinawan girl. They beat her, duct-taped her eyes and mouth shut, and bound her hands. Gill and Harp then raped her, while Ledet claimed he only pretended to do so due to fear of Gill.
  • Wikipedia: 1995 Okinawa rape incident (English)
  • Wikipedia: 沖縄米兵少女暴行事件 (日本語)
  • - RF-4C 66-0416 (15 TRS / 18 TFW) entered a spin at 16,500 feet in a Whiskey area approximately 95 miles Northeast of Kadena. Both crewmembers ejected. One crewmembers body was never recovered. The other crewmember survived.
  • Wikipedia: Kadena Air Base (English)
  • Wikipedia: 嘉手納飛行場 (日本語)
  • - The Koza riot (コザ暴動, Koza bōdō) was a violent and spontaneous protest against the US military presence in Okinawa, which occurred on the night of December 20, 1970, into the morning of the following day. Roughly 5,000 Okinawans clashed with roughly 700 American MPs in an event which has been regarded as symbolic of Okinawan anger against 25 years of US military occupation. In the riot, approximately 60 Americans and 27 Okinawans were injured, 80 cars were burned, and several buildings on Kadena Air Base were destroyed or heavily damaged.
  • Wikipedia: Koza riot (English)
  • Wikipedia: コザ暴動 (日本語)
  • - B-52 of the 4252d Strategic Wing broke up and caught fire after the aircraft aborted takeoff on an Arc Light bombing mission to South Vietnam. 2 crewmen died of their injuries.
  • Wikipedia: Kadena Air Base (English)
  • Wikipedia: 嘉手納飛行場 (日本語)
  • J - a six-ton trailer was parachute dropped outside of the Yomitan Air Base and resulted in the death of a young girl. This incident was followed by a protest of 10,000 Okinawans calling to stop all military activities on the island.
  • Wikipedia: Yomitan Auxiliary Airfield (English)
  • Wikipedia: 読谷補助飛行場 (日本語)
  • - An F-100 from the wing crashed on Okinawa during a training flight after suffering an engine fire. The pilot successfully ejected and suffered no harm, but the aircraft crashed into a local elementary school, killing 11 students plus six residents of the nearby neighborhood, and injuring 210.
  • Wikipedia: Kadena Air Base (English)
  • Wikipedia: 嘉手納飛行場 (日本語)
  • - The Yumiko-chan incident was the rape and murder of six-year-old Japanese girl Yumiko Nagayama (sometimes reported as Yumiko Arakaki) by American soldier Sergeant Isaac J. Hurt in Kadena, Okinawa on 3 September 1955. Nagayama's body was found near Kadena Air Base during the U.S. occupation of Okinawa, and an investigation led to the conviction of 31-year-old Sergeant Hurt on charges of murder, rape, and kidnapping.
  • Wikipedia: Yumiko-chan incident (English)
  • Wikipedia: Yumiko-chan incident (日本語)
  • - the death of a girl when a fuel tank fell into private house.
  • Wikipedia: Yomitan Auxiliary Airfield (English)
  • Wikipedia: 読谷補助飛行場 (日本語)
  • - At Yontan Airfield, 33 serious off-range parachute drop accidents occurred during this time period.
  • Wikipedia: Yomitan Auxiliary Airfield (English)
  • Wikipedia: 読谷補助飛行場 (日本語)