US military Yokota base and PFAS contamination problem… What do citizens think? Tokyo Fussa mayoral election tomorrow’s vote count: Tokyo Shimbun TOKYO Web

Votes will be counted in the Fussa mayoral election in Tokyo on the 28th. The candidates are both independents: newcomer Machiko Ushikubo (71), a former elementary school teacher, recommended by the Communist Party, and incumbent Ikuo Kato (70), who is aiming for a fifth term, recommended by the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito. The two sides are engaged in a war of words over issues such as the U.S. military base in Yokota, which is located in the city. (Kyota Matsushima)

Gate 5 of the U.S. military Yokota Base in Fussa City

The groundwater in the Tama area is being contaminated with organic fluorine compounds (PFAS), which are suspected to be carcinogenic, and Yokuda Air Base is suspected to be the source of the contamination. The base has experienced leaks of fire extinguishing foam containing PFAS in the past. The concentration of PFAS detected in wells in Fussa City is lower than in municipalities east of the base, but according to a survey by the Tokyo Metropolitan Environment Bureau, there are some locations where the concentration is 193 nanograms per liter, which exceeds the national provisional guideline value (50 nanograms).

According to government officials and others, approximately 760 liters of water containing high concentrations of PFAS leaked inside the base in January last year. The water flowed into a gutter leading to the city, so they responded by blocking the outlet. Approximately 1.4 million liters of water containing PFAS is stored at the base, and no decision has been made on how to dispose of it.

On-site inspections of bases are the first step toward identifying the source of contamination. Ushikubo asserted, “It is important to investigate the soil and groundwater at the base, and I would like to strongly urge the national and metropolitan governments to do so.” Kato says, “The bases should be seen as a problem for Japan as a whole (not just surrounding municipalities),” and is looking for solutions to the problem through cooperation with other local governments.

The crash of a CV22 Osprey, a U.S. military transport aircraft belonging to Yokota Air Base, off the coast of Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture in November last year has also caused concern among citizens. The U.S. military resumed Osprey flights over Okinawa in March. According to the city, it has not been confirmed that flights will resume at Yokota Air Base, but it remains unclear what will happen.

Voting will be held at 11 locations in the city from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the 28th, and will be counted on the same day at Fussa City 7th Elementary Gymnasium starting at 9 p.m. As of the 20th, there are 46,082 people registered on the electoral roll.