V-22 Ospreys may be based on Japanese mainland instead of Okinawa

US Marine V-22 Osprey in Iraq (US Navy photo)

The Japan Times has reported that United States Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys may be based on the main Japanese island of Honshu, with Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Camp Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture being cited as likely locations.

Okinawa-based Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (HMM-265) is expected to transition to the Osprey from the Boeing-Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight later this year, but the local government and residents are stridently opposed to the plan to based USMC Ospreys at Okinawa's Futenma airbase.