Mass protest in Japan against US hybrid aircraft

JAPAN: Tens of thousands of people rallied on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa Sunday against the deployment of US Osprey military aircraft after a series of accidents elsewhere involving the planes.

Protesters demanded the United States and Japan immediately scrap plans to deploy 12 MV-22 Ospreys at the Futenma US base on Okinawa and shut down the Futenma base in the crowded city of Ginowan. The turnout at the main rally was estimated by organisers at more than 100,000. Okinawan media put the number at “tens of thousands”.

AFP