NAHA – The Ground Self-Defense Force has cancelled its planned deployment of a V-22 Osprey transport aircraft to participate in the Iron Fist joint exercise with the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa Prefecture, it was learned Wednesday.
The cancellation marks a significant shift, as the GSDF Osprey was slated to be the first to engage in training exercises utilizing a U.S. Base within Okinawa. Sources indicate the decision stems from a desire to address concerns voiced by local residents regarding the safety of the aircraft.
Just last month, the Okinawa Prefectural Government formally requested the Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau to refrain from employing Ospreys in any joint training activities within the prefecture. This request appears to have heavily influenced the GSDF’s decision.
The original plan involved the Osprey departing from the GSDF’s Camp Saga later this month, traveling to Okinawa Prefecture for maintenance at the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma air base in Ginowan City, and subsequently participating in flight training at Camp Hansen in Kin Town.
The Iron Fist exercise, which commenced on February 11th and is scheduled to conclude on March 9th, is designed to simulate operations focused on the defense and potential recapture of remote islands. The drills are being conducted across multiple locations, including Okinawa Prefecture, the Marine Corps’ Iwakuni Base in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and areas within the Kyushu region, notably Amami Oshima in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Approximately 2,000 personnel from the GSDF, Maritime Self-Defense Force, and Air Self-Defense Force are expected to participate alongside roughly 3,000 Marines and other U.S. Service members.
The decision to cancel the Osprey’s participation arrives in the wake of a series of incidents involving the aircraft. In November 2023, a U.S. Osprey originating from Yokota air base in Tokyo crashed off the coast of Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture, resulting in the tragic loss of all eight individuals on board. More recently, in October 2024, a GSDF Osprey experienced instability during takeoff from Yonaguni Island, Okinawa Prefecture, and briefly touched the ground.
These events have heightened anxieties surrounding the safety of the V-22 Osprey, a tiltrotor aircraft with a complex operational history. The Osprey’s unique design allows it to take off and land vertically like a helicopter, but also fly at high speeds like a conventional airplane. However, it has been plagued by a number of accidents throughout its service life, raising questions about its reliability.
The cancellation of the GSDF Osprey’s participation in Iron Fist underscores the sensitivity surrounding the use of the aircraft in Japan, particularly in Okinawa, where there is a strong anti-military sentiment among many residents. The presence of U.S. Military bases in Okinawa has been a source of contention for decades, and any incident involving U.S. Or Japanese military aircraft is likely to fuel further protests and calls for a reduced U.S. Military presence.
While the Iron Fist exercise will proceed with other assets, the absence of the GSDF Osprey represents a setback for efforts to enhance interoperability between the U.S. And Japanese militaries. It also highlights the challenges of balancing the need for military readiness with the concerns of local communities.
