US Apologises To Japan Over Military Accidents

The US has apologised to Japan for a number of incidents in the country involving American military personnel and equipment.

The accidents, which took place on the island of Okinawa where around 26,000 US troops are stationed, have included helicopter emergency landings, a fatal drink-drive crash and a window frame from a military helicopter falling into a school playground. 

Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters that he had received an apology from his US counterpart.

"The US Defence Secretary James Mattis told me about the details of the emergency landings of US aircraft and apologised for the situation where such incidents have been happening one after the other.

"Mr Mattis said the US fully understood the situation and would deal with it sincerely as a serious issue."

In November, US military personnel were restricted to base and banned from drinking alcohol after a Marine was arrested over a crash that killed a Japanese man.

Over the past few days, two military helicopters were forced to make emergency landings.

An attack helicopter landed in the grounds of a hotel on the island after a warning light came on, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

A faulty rotor forced another to land on a beach over the weekend.

The latest incidents could further fuel opposition to the US base on the island, where local residents have expressed concerns in the past about military crime and crowding on the island.

Its planned relocation pushed by the Japanese and US governments has been delayed for more than 20 years as many residents want it off Okinawa altogether.