Mayor Shigeru Nakanishi, Kanoya City Council
Regarding the temporary deployment plan of the US Air Force's unmanned reconnaissance aircraft MQ9 to the Maritime Self-Defense Force Kanoya Air Base (Kanoya City), on the 14th, Kanoya City reported on the progress and future responses at the City Council All-Plenary Council. After the 15th, we will hear questions about the plan from related organizations and send them to the Defense Ministry's Kyushu Defense Bureau. [Photo] Unmanned aerial vehicle MQ9 deployed in the U.S. Air Force (from General Atomics pamphlet)
In the report to the city council, we conveyed the contents of the field survey explained by the Defense Bureau on the 9th and the activities of the Chinese military. Details of the investigations to be conducted on and off the base "were not provided," it said. Lawmakers asked questions such as, "Will the deployment of unmanned aircraft further heighten tension?" and "Where will the unmanned aircraft be operated?" Mayor Shigeru Nakanishi said, "I think it's very rough to decide based only on geographical conditions. What kind of impact will it have on the lives of citizens and business operators? Will it be possible to dispel the anxiety of citizens? Will it lead to a U.S. military base? We need to consider,” he said. The city will collect questions about the field survey from the base-related liaison council, shopping districts, hotels, and other groups within this week. According to officials, around 7 MQ9s are being considered for deployment. More than 100 U.S. soldiers are expected to be stationed there for about a year from this spring at the earliest.