TOKYO — The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo has received hundreds of postcards protesting unconfirmed Japanese media reports that the U.S. Army’s I Corps Headquarters may relocate to Camp Zama, Japan, according to embassy officials.

A group consisting of city councilors and residents from Zama and Sagamihara cities, who oppose the alleged plans, are selling postcards addressed to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in care of the embassy stating that the troops are not welcome, according to Tokio Kaneko, the group’s director general and Sagamihara city councilman.

“The contents of the postcards were sent to the Pentagon,” said an Embassy spokesman. U.S. Forces Japan officials had no comment.

The stamped postcards state that the sender opposes moving I Corps Headquarters, based at Fort Lewis, Wash., to Camp Zama — that “Camp Zama must be returned to local people.” The cards have a space to write messages. The group decided to encourage people to send postcards in response to Rumsfeld’s remark that the troops should be located where wanted, welcomed and needed, Kaneko said.

The cards are sold for 100 yen — about $1. The price covers expenses and the group’s campaigns, organizers said. They said they have sold about 5,000 postcards in the past three months — half the 10,000 they hope to sell.

U.S. military officials have said in the past that no specific plans exist for moving any units to Japan.

Health Care Town Hall session scheduled

The U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa and the 18th Medical Group are co-hosting a Health Care Town Hall meeting March 31 in the Naval Hospital conference rooms B and C. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m.

Participants can learn about new health-care policies and programs and have questions answered by experts. Medical professionals from both the Naval Hospital and the Kadena Air Base clinic will be on hand.

For more information, contact U.S. Naval Hospital’s Customer Relations department at DSN 643-7209.

Talent show auditions

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Auditions for the Nile C. Kinnick Senior Class Council talent show are scheduled for next week at the high school forum on the first floor.

Elementary and middle school students can audition March 22 and high school students March 23. Both auditions will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

The talent shows are planned for April 19 and 20 in the Benny Decker Theater. Top- place winners will be awarded cash prizes.

Bowling for the green

A “St. Patrick’s Irish Sweeper” is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday at Tomodachi Lanes on Yokota Air Base, Japan. A release from the base described it as a four-game, nine-pin no-tap, no-split, no-spare “scratch singles tournament.”

Sign-up is at 3:30 p.m. and costs $15 for each bowler. The top three will receive cash prizes.

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