(Provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only)
Today, Okinawa marked its memorial day on the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa. I attended the memorial ceremony and expressed my mourning for the souls of the fallen. In addition, I, as one responsible for the security of the nation, pledged to never again repeat the horrors of war. Remembering the horrific history of the war, I have a renewed sense that it is my mission as Minister of Defense to make all efforts to secure peace in Japan, including Okinawa, and the safety of the people. Before the memorial ceremony, I met with Lieutenant General Turner, Commanding General of Ⅲ Marine Expeditionary Force (ⅢMEF) and Okinawa Area Coordinator of the U.S. Forces, Japan (USFJ). I told him that it is of utmost importance to maintain a balance between advancing efforts to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. Alliance, while striving to minimize the impact on the lives of local residents in Okinawa from the perspective of ensuring a stable presence of the USFJ. In addition, regarding incidents and accidents involving U.S. military personnel, I once again requested the U.S. side to tighten discipline and prevent their recurrence. After attending the memorial ceremony, I went to Kadena Air Base, which I had been wanting to visit, and met with Brigadier General Evans, Commander of the 18th Wing. I requested four items: first, to continue complying with the aircraft noise regulations agreed upon between Japan and the U.S.; second, to continue implementing the noise reduction efforts of the U.S. forces; third, to use the former Navy ramp in line with the purpose of the noise reduction initiatives; and fourth, to tighten discipline and prevent the recurrence of incidents and accidents involving U.S. military personnel. Furthermore, at the Kadena Ammunition Storage Area, I observed the ammunition storage that is jointly used by Japan and the U.S., and I was briefed from the Commanding General of the 15th Brigade, Ground Self-Defense Force, about the recent accident that occurred during the disposal of an unexploded ordnance. Subsequently, I just met with Mayor Toyama of Kadena Town, Mayor Hanashiro of Okinawa City, Mayor Toguchi of Chatan Town, and Mayor Ishimine of Yomitan Village. First, I apologized for causing everyone concern about the recent accident during the disposal of an unexploded ordnance, and I committed to conducting a thorough investigation into the accident and making all efforts to identify the cause and prevent a recurrence. The mayors asked for our continued efforts to resolve the issues, including the noise caused by U.S. military aircraft. The Ministry of Defense will continue to make every effort, including reaching out to the U.S. side, to minimize the impact on the local community.