Thousands rally against US military aircraft in Japan
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Thousands of people have rallied against American deployment of Osprey military aircraft on a southern Japanese island amid escalating anti-U.S. military sentiment following recent crimes.
Protesters gathered Sunday at a Tokyo park demanding removal of 12 MV-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft from Okinawa. Ospreys were deployed in October despite local opposition over safety concerns following two crashes elsewhere.
They chanted, "Ospreys out! Marine Corps out!"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Anger is running high days after a U.S. airman allegedly assaulted a teenage boy on Okinawa, just two weeks after a curfew was imposed on all 52,000 U.S. troops in Japan after the arrest of two Navy sailors in the alleged rape of a local woman.
More than half of the American troops in Japan are on Okinawa. The recent incidents have inflamed tension and distrust.