Stealth jets on Okinawa mission
Pastor Dale Morgan
Stealth jets on Okinawa mission*
The deployment of United States Air Force (USAF) F-22 stealth fighter
jets to a base on Japan's Okinawa island has prompted protests from
residents.
It is the first time the jets, the latest in the USAF's arsenal, have
been deployed outside the US.
The 12 aircraft are due to land at the island's Kadena airbase, where
they will be stationed for three months.
Hundreds of protesters assembled outside the base on Saturday to oppose
their deployment.
Bad weather delay
The protest was peaceful, and no arrests were reported, the Associated
Press news agency reported.
"I am protesting because the deployment of America's newest F-22 fighter
jets runs counter to the principle of reducing (military) burden on
Okinawa. So I made a placard and came out here," local resident Hiroshi
Teruya, 66, told the Reuters news agency.
The fighters, built by Lockheed and nicknamed Raptor, are the newest and
most expensive aircraft in the USAF arsenal.
The aircraft had been due to arrive from their base in Langley, Virginia
on Saturday, but were delayed because of bad weather.
Some 50,000 US troops are based on the islands. There have been recent
protests from islanders unhappy at the American military presence.
The jets' deployment comes as the US continues to take part in
six-nation talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, aimed at bringing an
end to North Korea's nuclear arms programme.