Sunday, February 25, 2001

By Wayne Specht
Misawa bureau chief

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — The Navy’s senior officer in northern Japan says he is encouraged that relations between Misawa City and the Navy, chilled by controversial night landings, could be thawing.

Capt. Richard High said Misawa Mayor Shigeyoshi Suzuki made no promises during Thursday’s meeting but indicated that he intends to bring up the topic of restoring friendship with the Navy to the city’s assembly.

"He didn’t say they are going to [restore relations], but that it would be a topic to be discussed at the next city assembly meeting," said High, commander of Misawa Naval Air Facility, on Friday.

"Whether it happens or not, I take that as a very positive note. At least they are finally discussing that eventuality. I’ve got my fingers crossed."

The city snubbed Navy officials after three nights of landing practice by F/A-18 Hornet fighters from Carrier Air Wing FIVE. The USS Kitty Hawk’s aircraft practiced at Misawa last September when a typhoon prevented them from using Iwo Jima, which is 600 miles from mainland Japan.

City officials told reporters the naval air facility’s officials would no longer be invited to city functions. A city official added that if the noisy night practices continued, the city was prepared to ask the Navy to withdraw from the base.

Ayase city officials outside Atsugi Naval Air Facility, where the practice also is held, soon followed suit, informing Navy officials there that they no longer would be invited to functions.

The Misawa facility has continued business as usual by inviting the city to periodic events. However, High said he was not invited to a city-sponsored snow festival two weeks ago.

The facility has no fighter aircraft assigned to it. Its major responsibility is supporting relatively quiet P-3 anti-submarine patrol aircraft that rotate here every six months from stateside bases.

Earlier this month, High told the mayor that Misawa would be considered as a site for night practices if weather turns bad at Iwo Jima, where the carrier air wing concludes practice Monday. About 110 aviators are practicing a minimum of six night landings to prepare to deploy with the Yokosuka-based USS Kitty Hawk next month.

High said Thursday’s meeting with Suzuki, Vice Mayor Zensaku Tomita and staff came on the heels of the city’s most recent letter to the Navy reaffirming their opposition to the practices. No assembly members attended the meeting.

"I wanted to keep the city updated on where the Navy stands on night practices, and that the Navy is concerned," High said. "There was no intent of doing any of this secretly."

Some Japanese news accounts of the meeting suggested that High apologized to the city for the noise generated during the practices.

High said he did no such thing.

"There was no apology. I would not have the authority to apologize for the Navy on something like this."

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