U.S. and Japanese troops jump from a C-130J Super Hercules over Yokota Air Base, Japan, May 18, 2025. (Kendrick Jackson/U.S. Marine Corps)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Parachute training is resuming at this western Tokyo airlift hub after a U.S. Army paratrooper drifted off course and landed in a nearby city, prompting a protest from the mayor and a temporary halt to jumps.
The soldier landed in Hamura city on Tuesday evening after jumping from a C-130J Super Hercules, according to emails from U.S. Forces Japan and Yokota’s 374th Airlift Wing.
The wing’s commander, Col. Richard McElhaney, met with Hamura Mayor Hirotaka Hashimoto to share information about the incident, wing spokesman Capt. Emma Quirk said by email Friday.
“Drop training was suspended on Tuesday and Wednesday for a thorough review of equipment and procedures,” she wrote. “Following this analysis, we are confident in the safety of our paradrop operations and will resume training.”
The paratrooper deployed a backup chute after the main parachute failed, according to a Thursday news release from neighboring Fussa city, citing information from the North Kanto Defense Bureau, an arm of Japan’s Ministry of Defense.
The soldier was not seriously injured, Quirk said Friday, though she did not immediately respond to follow-up questions seeking confirmation of details provided by Japanese authorities.
The soldier landed on the roof of a home, Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper reported Wednesday, quoting local police who would not confirm that detail to Stars and Stripes.
The incident, Quirk wrote, highlights the importance of rigorous training.
“Maintaining aircrew and partner readiness through jump training is essential,” she said. “We strive to minimize community impact while maintaining operational readiness for the defense of Japan.”
Hashimoto lodged a complaint during his meeting with McElhaney and handed over a formal protest letter calling for training to stop, urging stronger safety measures and requesting detailed information, according to a statement posted on Hamura city’s website.
“Parachute training is frequently conducted at Yokota Air Base but despite repeated requests for thorough safety measures for base operations and to provide information in advance it is extremely regrettable that the training was again conducted without any advance information being provided and an incident occurred,” the statement said.
The letter was also sent to USFJ, 5th Air Force and Japan’s defense and foreign affairs ministries, according to the city.
The defense bureau provided updates Thursday to officials in Hamura and Fussa, two of several municipalities that border Yokota.
