The fatal crash of a U.S. military Osprey aircraft in Japan last week has reignited safety concerns among local citizens, further fueled by Washington continuing to fly the tilt-rotor aircraft despite a request by Tokyo to ground them.
Experts say the United States should respond to Japan's demand for better operations at its military bases in the Asian country, while Tokyo should insist that Washington halt Osprey flights and provide detailed information related to the latest incident.
They warn that if the poor handling of the accident by the two governments erodes public support for their alliance, it could weaken their deterrence in the remote islands of southwestern Japan amid China's growing military assertiveness in nearby waters.