U.S. planes riling Japanese

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TOKYO, July 20 (UPI) -- A growing record of accidents involving Osprey airplanes has led to increasing opposition to their use by the U.S. Marines in Japan.

The National Governors' Association passed a resolution Thursday saying it "cannot accept" the proposed deployment of the planes because of lack of information about their safety record, Asahi Shimbun reported.

Twelve of the aircraft are to arrive at a base in Yamaguchi prefecture in Honshu on July 23. The 12 planes are to be deployed to the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Okinawa in September.

U.S. military documents indicate the Osprey was involved in 58 "mishaps" from 2006-11, Asahi Shimbun said. The MV-22 Ospreys, the type to be sent to Okinawa, were involved in 30.

At least two of those were "Class A mishaps," defined as those including fatalities, permanently disabling injuries or damage of at least $2 million. One was a fire on board a plane during flight and in the other incident a member of the crew fell from a plane.

Another six were Class B, involving permanent partial disability or damage of $500,000-$2 million. The remaining 22 were Class C, causing injury or damage of $50,000-$500,000.

The Osprey was designed to be capable of vertical takeoffs and landings and short takeoffs and landings.

Local officials say the Futenma base is in a heavily populated area with the possibility that what might otherwise be a minor accident could cause serious injury or death to local residents.