Defense Ministry Makes Progress On Osprey Base In Saga Prefecture

The Japanese Defense Ministry has secured an important agreement toward building a new base for tiltrotor aircraft in the southern Saga prefecture, reports the Asahi Shimbun.

The ministry is seeking to build a base for Ground Self-Defense Force V-22 Osprey tilrotor aircraft adjacent to the civilian Saga airport. However, environmental concerns from local seaweed farmers have stalled the process for the last five years.

On Tuesday, the local sea fisheries cooperative met and agreed to revise a key document, removing a provision banning the GSDF from using the airport. The revised document limits military use of the Saga airport to the GSDF garrison.

The defense ministry must still negotiate individually with locals who own the land needed for the base.

The GSDF has been under mounting pressure to find a permanent home for its fleet of Ospreys since it made the move to temporarily base the aircraft at the Kisarazu Air Field in Chiba, east of Tokyo, following opposition in Saga. The deployment agreement for airfield expires in July 2025.