US military, Japanese government agree to let civilian flights share Yokota airspace for Olympics

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Jets bringing visitors to the Tokyo Olympics will be allowed to pass through airspace surrounding an American military base following an agreement reached by U.S. Forces Japan and the Japanese government.

Officials from both countries have haggled in recent months over control of airspace around Yokota, home to the 374th Airlift Wing, 5th Air Force and USFJ.

The airspace, controlled by the 374th Operations Support Squadron, includes the skies over Tokyo’s western suburbs and parts of Saitama, Tochigi, Gunma, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Niigata, Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures.

Japanese officials plan to use the airspace to increase capacity at Haneda International Airport, one of two major gateways for visitors to the Japanese capital.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/1.566568