Historical Context and Ongoing Concerns
The Akasaka Press Center in Tokyo’s Roppongi district has been a long-standing location used by U.S. military forces in Japan since the end of the Pacific War in 1945. This site, situated within Minato Ward, has become a focal point for local concerns regarding noise pollution from helicopters and the potential risk of accidents. Over the years, the surrounding area has undergone significant changes, with an increase in high-rise buildings and flight congestion due to new Haneda flight routes.
The Mayor’s Perspective on Safety
Minato Ward Mayor Ai Seike, who was born and raised in the ward, has been vocal about the need for the removal of the facility. With a background as a newspaper reporter and 13 years of experience as a ward councilor, she brings a unique perspective to her role as mayor. She emphasizes that the center, which includes a heliport, is located in the heart of Roppongi’s entertainment district, where high-rise buildings like Roppongi Hills are prominent. This setting poses increasing safety risks as the height of surrounding structures continues to rise.
Seike also highlights the opening of the new Haneda flight routes in 2020, which have led to planes landing at Haneda Airport flying low over the city center. The U.S. military helicopters using the Akasaka Press Center now pass under these routes, raising concerns about the potential for collisions.
Recent Incidents and Safety Risks
In January this year, a U.S. military helicopter collided with a passenger plane in Washington, D.C., resulting in 67 fatalities. This incident has heightened concerns among local residents, particularly given that the involved helicopter was a Black Hawk, the same type used at the Akasaka Press Center. Seike notes that the conditions in the airspace over Roppongi are similar to those in Washington, making the risk of a collision real and tangible for nearby residents.
Additionally, the mayor is concerned about the fact that U.S. military helicopters fly low over children playing in Tokyo Metropolitan Aoyama Park. She personally witnessed this phenomenon with her child and remarked on how it feels strange when viewed objectively. From a safety standpoint, she believes the center should be removed and integrated into a metropolitan park.
New Developments and Resident Concerns
In March this year, it was announced that a U.S. Forces Japan satellite office would be established at the Akasaka Press Center. This new department, set to coordinate with the Japanese Ministry of Defense’s Joint Operations Command, is expected to become fully operational in the future. However, residents have expressed concerns that increased helicopter traffic between Yokota Air Base and the Akasaka Press Center could lead to higher noise levels and accident risks.
Seike stressed that she will continue to call on the government to ensure safety and provide information. She emphasized that while the security environment around Japan is growing more complex, the mayor’s responsibility is to separate security issues from the protection of the ward and its residents’ lives. If the mayor does not properly explain the situation to the government and make an appeal, she questions who else will protect them.
Government Stance and Legal Framework
The land where the Akasaka Press Center is located was seized by the U.S. military immediately after the war. The heliport is primarily used by military helicopters from U.S. bases in the suburbs of Tokyo. The site also houses the office of the U.S. military’s semi-official newspaper, Stars and Stripes, and lodging quarters for U.S. military personnel.
Minato Ward Assembly has requested the return of the land and sought noise countermeasures since 1967, with the ward government doing the same since 1991. Although there was a period when the Japanese government asked the U.S. military to relocate the facility, it is currently not negotiating with the U.S. military. The government claims that the heliport is necessary for the rapid transportation of U.S. VIPs and is essential for achieving the objectives of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
Status of Forces Agreement and Legal Exemptions
An investigation revealed that U.S. military helicopters using the center, such as the Black Hawk, repeatedly fly over the city center at altitudes that would be illegally low for Japanese helicopters. The background to the Japanese government’s acceptance of this situation is the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, which grants various privileges to U.S. military aircraft, including exemptions from altitude standards under Japan’s Civil Aeronautics Act.
Seike cites the fact that Japan’s Civil Aeronautics Act is not applied to U.S. military aircraft as an additional reason for requesting the center’s removal. This legal framework continues to shape the ongoing debate over the presence of the Akasaka Press Center in the heart of Tokyo.
