TOKUSHIMA -- The "Orange Route," a U.S. military training flight path stretching over the mountainous regions of Wakayama, Tokushima, Kochi and Ehime prefectures, has sparked renewed concerns following a recent accident injuring an elderly woman.

In early November 2024, a low-altitude flight by a suspected a U.S. military aircraft startled the woman in Mugi, Tokushima Prefecture. The loud noise caused her to fall and hurt herself. In response, the Mugi Municipal Assembly passed a resolution Dec. 13, unanimously calling for the immediate cessation of low-altitude flight training by U.S. military aircraft.

The resolution warned of the potential for more serious accidents if such flights continue. It urged the Japanese prime minister, foreign minister, defense minister, and the heads of both houses of the Diet to formally request that the U.S. government and military halt the training.

Japan's Civil Aeronautics Act requires aircraft to maintain minimum altitudes of 300 meters over urban areas and 150 meters in other areas, except during takeoff and landing. However, the resolution noted that "low-altitude flights by U.S. military aircraft that disregard Japan's aviation laws have been frequently observed." This marks the fourth time Mugi's assembly has passed such a resolution, following similar actions in 2010, 2012 and 2019.

The Orange Route has a history of controversy. In October 1994, a U.S. military aircraft crashed during low-altitude training in northern Kochi Prefecture, killing two crew members. Despite this, U.S. flights have continued in the area, raising long-standing concerns among residents.

In January 1999, the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee -- which oversees the implementation of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement -- reached an agreement. The U.S. military pledged to prioritize safety and minimize the impact of its activities on locals. However, low-altitude flights accompanied by loud noise persist, leaving communities along the route grappling with fears of further accidents and ongoing noise pollution.

Prefectural governments in Tokushima, Kochi and Ehime have urged municipalities and residents to report details of the low-altitude flights, including the date, time, location and number of aircraft observed. Data from noise measurement devices installed along the route has been used to petition Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense to demand that the U.S. military adhere to the 1999 agreement.

Prefectures on the island of Shikoku have also made flight information public. Kochi Prefecture's website recorded 879 reports of low-altitude flights between 2014 and 2023. Tokushima's website, meanwhile, includes photos and videos submitted by residents. Additionally, the Shikoku governors' association, which includes Kagawa Prefecture, has requested that the U.S. military provide advance notice of training flights.

A Mugi resident said that U.S. military aircraft fly both day and night, and often so low that pilots are visible to the naked eye. The skies above the region were historically used as a route by B-29 bombers during the final stages of World War II. These bombers, departing from bases on Guam and Saipan, frequently flew along the route during nighttime missions to bomb areas including the Kansai region and the city of Tokushima. An elderly resident in Mugi who recalls the sound of bombers roaring overhead said, "It reminded me of the B-29s. I can't sleep because it's so frightening."

What is the Orange Route?

The Orange Route is one of several flight training paths established by the U.S. military in Japan. It spans mountainous areas across Ehime, Kochi and Tokushima prefectures in Shikoku, and extends into Wakayama Prefecture. The route was designated around the time MV-22 Osprey aircraft were deployed to U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture. According to a 2012 document translated and published by Japan's Ministry of Defense, there are at least six such routes in Japan. These include the "Green Route" and "Pink Route" in northeastern Japan's Tohoku region, the "Blue Route" across the Tohoku and Chubu regions, and the "Yellow Route" in the Kyushu region. Like the Orange Route, these paths traverse mountainous areas.

The repeated low-altitude training flights and past accidents along the Orange Route continue to raise important questions about their impact on local communities and the broader implications for Japan-U.S. security cooperation.

(Japanese original by Koichi Uematsu, Tokushima Bureau)