U.S. military rejects Japan police request for chopper probe

The U.S. military in Japan on Tuesday rejected a request by Japanese police to conduct on-site investigations into a U.S. Marine helicopter that crashed at an Okinawa university campus Friday.

The U.S. military also officially announced it would resume helicopter flights at a nearby air base.

At Okinawa International University on Tuesday, the police were only allowed to inspect areas near the wreckage without touching the property. On Monday, the U.S. military began removing the damaged CH-53D Sea Stallion transport helicopter from the crash site to the Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station.

A U.S. military official who visited Ginowan Police Station presented a written response saying the military cannot accept the police request due to agreements between the United States and Japan.

Under the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, which governs the management and operation of the U.S. military in Japan, Japanese authorities must obtain U.S. consent for investigations involving U.S. military personnel and property.

In addition, despite strong opposition from local residents and authorities, the headquarters of the U.S. forces in Japan said it will resume flights of its helicopters at Futemma, with the exception of the model involved in the crash.

The police said they will ask the U.S. military to present its investigation documents and depositions to help with the police's probe into the accident.

The helicopter crashed inside the university campus Friday, leaving the three crew members injured, but no students or other civilians were hurt.

On Friday, the prefectural police obtained a warrant to conduct on-site investigations into an alleged violation of an aviation safety law. They then requested permission from the U.S. forces for an on-site investigation.

''The U.S. forces will probably not permit investigations into debris of the helicopter for the cause of the accident by saying the crashed equipment itself concerns military secrecy,'' said Hiroshi Homma, a professor of international law at Tokyo's Hosei University.

Following the accident, local communities have stepped up calls on the Japanese and U.S. governments for the return of the land the Futemma base sits on.

The United States agreed in 1996 to return the Futemma base site to Japan. The handover has been pending as a relocation facility has yet to be built off the northern Okinawa city of Nago due to local opposition.

Source: Agencies