オスプレイ、米「安全点検して飛行」　木原防衛相、説明不十分と懸念

　木原稔防衛相は１日の記者会見で、米軍輸送機オスプレイについて、米側から「徹底的かつ慎重な整備と安全点検を行った上で運用されている」との説明があったと明らかにした。米側は、鹿児島県・屋久島沖で墜落したオスプレイと同じ空軍型のＣＶ２２については「飛行を現在行っていない」とも説明。「事故に関する可能な限り詳細な情報を透明性を持って共有する」と日本側に伝えた。
　木原氏は会見で「まだまだ情報提供は十分ではない」と指摘。「十分な説明がない中、飛行が行われていることに懸念を有している」と述べ、引き続き働き掛けを続ける考えを示した。（2023/12/01-12:26）

Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said Friday the United States has explained to the Japanese government that Osprey transport aircraft of the U.S. military are being operated after thorough and careful maintenance work and safety checks are conducted.
   The U.S. side also told Japan that flights of CV-22 Ospreys, the U.S. Air Force variant of the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, are not conducted currently and that Washington will share with Tokyo as much detailed information as possible about Wednesday's fatal Osprey crash in a transparent way," according to Kihara, who was speaking at a press conference.
   On Wednesday, a U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey carrying eight crew members crashed off the island of Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
   "We have not yet received full explanations" about the accident from the United States, Kihara said, adding, "We are concerned that Osprey flights continue taking place despite a lack of sufficient explanations."
   A total of 14 takeoffs and landings by Ospreys of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy have been confirmed at the Marine Corps' Futenma air station in Okinawa Prefecture and the U.S. Air Force's Kadena Air Base in the same southernmost Japan prefecture after Kihara requested Lt. Gen. Ricky Rupp, commander of U.S. Forces Japan, on Thursday to stop flying Ospreys, the minister said.