The city of Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, plans to sever friendship ties with the U.S. Navy after the navy ignored requests by the city to suspend night landing practices at its Misawa base, municipal officials said Tuesday.
The navy conducted night landing drills between Sept. 5 and Sept. 7 at the base for the first time in about seven years. The drills prompted around 100 complaints to the municipal government and to the Defense Facilities Administration Agency's local office.
The city had asked the U.S. Navy to suspend the drills. Because the request was effectively ignored, the city decided to suspend friendship ties with the navy at the base, including inviting navy officials to local events, the officials said.
In addition, if the navy conducts the drills again, Misawa will ask the United States to remove the navy from the base, they said.
The base also accommodates the U.S. Air Force, with which the city will maintain friendship ties, and Self-Defense Forces units, they said.