U.S. military helicopters have been spotted repeatedly flying at low altitudes of 300 meters or less between Tokyo skyscrapers, contravening aviation regulations for Japanese aircraft

美國軍用直升機多次被發(fā)現(xiàn)在東京摩天大樓之間以低于300米的高度低空飛行，違反了對日本飛機的航空管理規(guī)定


(A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter is seen flying low near the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on Aug. 18, 2020. The approximately 270-meter-tall building, known as Docomo Tower, is about 500 meters from Shinjuku Station.)

（2020年8月18日，一架美國黑鷹直升機在東京新宿區(qū)代代木大廈附近低空飛行。這座被稱為代代木大廈的建筑高約270米，距離新宿車站約500米。）
新聞：

U.S. military helicopters have been spotted repeatedly flying at low altitudes of 300 meters or less between Tokyo skyscrapers, contravening aviation regulations for Japanese aircraft, according to a Mainichi Shimbun investigation.

據(jù)《每日新聞》的一項調(diào)查，美國軍用直升機多次被發(fā)現(xiàn)在東京摩天大樓之間以低于300米的高度低空飛行，違反了對日本飛機的航空管理規(guī)定。

The investigation found at least one instance where a helicopter passed over Shinjuku Station in central Tokyo at a height of approximately 200 meters, while coming perilously close to surrounding buildings. Danger lurks in this area including the world's busiest train station used by around 3.5 million people a day.

調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn)至少有一次，一架直升飛機在大約200米的高度飛過東京市中心的新宿車站，并危險地靠近周圍的建筑物。（這使得）危險潛伏在這個地區(qū)，包括世界上最繁忙的火車站，每天有大約350萬人使用。

In an investigation conducted over about half a year from July 2020, the Mainichi Shimbun confirmed helicopters belonging to U.S. forces flying at low altitudes over Shinjuku. On 12 occasions, the flights clearly contravened regulations for Japanese aircraft under Japan's Civil Aeronautics Act, which state that the minimum safety altitude for flying is more than 300 meters above the upper edge of the highest obstacle within a 600-meter radius of the aircraft in densely populated areas. There were also five occasions when U.S. military helicopters were strongly suspected to have breached aviation law standards.

在2020年7月進(jìn)行的一項半年多的調(diào)查中，《每日新聞》證實了美國軍隊的直升機在新宿上空低空飛行。日本《民用航空法》規(guī)定，在人口密集地區(qū)，飛機半徑600米內(nèi)最高障礙物上邊緣上方300米以上為最低安全飛行高度。此外，有五次美國軍用直升機被強烈懷疑違反了航空法律標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。

The minimum safety standard specified in the Civil Aeronautics Act, which is applicable to Japanese helicopters, is based on the assumed height required for a forced landing without imposing danger on the ground in the event of an accident or mechanical failure. Japan's aviation law adopts the same standard as the International Civil Aviation Organization.

《民用航空法》規(guī)定的最低安全標(biāo)準(zhǔn)適用于日本直升機，其依據(jù)是在發(fā)生事故或機械故障時，在沒有對地面造成危險的情況下強制著陸所需的假定高度。日本的航空法采用與國際民用航空組織相同的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。

The standard has not been applied to U.S. Forces Japan due to a special provisions law based on the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which was implemented in 1952. However, frequent sightings of low-altitude flights by U.S. military aircraft in the capital could spark new discussion.

由于基于日美關(guān)系的《特別條款法》，該標(biāo)準(zhǔn)并未適用于1952年開始實施的《駐日美軍部隊地位協(xié)定》。然而，頻繁看到美國軍用飛機在首都低空飛行可能會引發(fā)新的討論。

The SOFA stipulates a duty to respect the laws of Japan, and U.S. officials provided a de facto apology following a 2018 case where it was revealed that a fighter jet flew at an altitude below the safety standard in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan.

《駐日美軍部隊地位協(xié)定》規(guī)定了尊重日本法律的義務(wù)，美國官員在2018年日本東北部巖手縣一架戰(zhàn)斗機飛行高度低于安全標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的事件后作出了事實上的道歉。

Toshiyuki Kusuhara, a visiting professor at Daiichi Institute of Technology and former senior aircraft accident investigator at the Japan Transport Safety Board, said, "Low-altitude flights in urban areas require high maneuvering skills, and when mistakes such as human errors are made during flights that contravene the law, they almost always end up causing accidents. Not only do such flights endanger the lives of the crew, but also the lives of those living on the ground."

日本第一理工學(xué)院的客座教授及日本運輸安全委員會的前高級飛機事故調(diào)查員Toshiyuki Kusuhara表示：“在城市地區(qū)低空飛行需要很高的機動技能，當(dāng)飛行過程中出現(xiàn)人為失誤等違法行為時，幾乎總是會導(dǎo)致事故。這類飛行不僅會危及機組人員的生命，還會危及地面人員的生命?！?/b>

Low-altitude flights by U.S. military aircraft and noise problems have been repeatedly occurring in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, where roughly 70% of U.S. military-dedicated facilities are located. Meanwhile, in downtown Tokyo, issues including noise problems have been reported around the heliport of the Akasaka Press Center, a U.S. military base in the Roppongi area in the capital's Minato Ward.

美國軍用飛機的低空飛行和噪音問題在最南端的沖繩縣反復(fù)發(fā)生，那里大約有70%的美軍專用設(shè)施。與此同時，在東京市中心，哈迪兵營（哈迪兵營是位于東京港區(qū)六本木地區(qū)的美國軍事基地）的直升機場附近也出現(xiàn)了噪音等問題。

The Akasaka Press Center serves as a base for transporting top officials of the U.S. government and the U.S. military to the heart of Japan's capital, from suburban locations including Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo, as well as Camp Zama, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, and Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. The trip takes around 10 to 20 minutes one-way. The Akasaka Press Center was also used by former U.S. president Donald Trump when he visited Japan.

哈迪兵營是將美國政府和美軍高級官員從東京西部的橫田空軍基地、座間軍營、厚木海軍空軍基地和東京南部神奈川縣橫須賀海軍基地等郊區(qū)地點運送到日本首都東京中心的基地。單程大約需要10到20分鐘。美國前總統(tǒng)特朗普訪問日本時也使用了哈迪兵營。

The military base in Roppongi has been used to this day since the Japanese government provided the property as a facility and zone for the U.S. military in 1952 following the demilitarization of the country after the end of World War II. Although the Minato Ward Office has repeatedly demanded the Japanese government to remove the military base, there has been no progress on the issue.

六本木的軍事基地一直沿用至今。1952年，日本在二戰(zhàn)結(jié)束后實現(xiàn)了非軍事化，日本政府將其作為設(shè)施和區(qū)域提供給美國軍隊。盡管港區(qū)政府一再要求日本政府撤除軍事基地，但在這個問題上一直沒有進(jìn)展。

Since July last year, the Mainichi Shimbun has examined the flight status of U.S. military aircraft from multiple points in 200 meter-class buildings, including the observatory in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building's Main Building No. 1 in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, to find out how they are actually being flown.

自去年7月以來，《每日新聞》在200米級建筑的多個地點調(diào)查了美國軍用飛機的飛行狀況，包括位于東京新宿區(qū)東京都政府大樓1號主樓的天文臺，以了解它們到底是怎么飛行的。

The problematic flights over the Shinjuku Station area were confirmed 17 times during a total of 10 days, counting instances of aircraft passing by on trips to and back from their destinations. Cases where aircraft were seen departing or landing at the Akasaka Press Center, about 4 kilometers away from Shinjuku Station, are not included.

在10天的時間里，在新宿機場上空出現(xiàn)問題的飛行被證實了17次，這還是將飛機在往返目的地途中經(jīng)過的情況算作1次的情況下。而飛機在距離新宿站約4公里的哈迪兵營起飛或降落的情況不包括在內(nèi)。

The aircraft are all believed to be the U.S. Army's Black Hawk helicopters, and the majority of them came from the direction of Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, where there are numerous U.S. military bases. Although the main duties of Black Hawk helicopters in Japan are the transportation of personnel and training with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, they also join combat in battlefields including that involving shooting and launching missiles.

這些飛機據(jù)信都是美國陸軍的黑鷹直升機，大部分來自東京以南的神奈川縣方向，那里有許多美國軍事基地。雖然黑鷹直升機在日本的主要職責(zé)是運送人員和與日本自衛(wèi)隊進(jìn)行訓(xùn)練，但它們也在戰(zhàn)場上參與戰(zhàn)斗，包括射擊和發(fā)射導(dǎo)彈。

Of the 17 low-altitude flights observed, helicopters in 12 flights flew at an altitude lower than the height of the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building, known as Docomo Tower, which stands at roughly 270 meters. There were also six cases with helicopters flying at around the same height as the metropolitan government building's observatory, standing at 202 meters. Aircraft passed by almost directly above Shinjuku Station eight times, and another case was observed where a helicopter nearly brushed against a commercial building connected to the station at a height of approximately 170 meters.

在觀測到的17次低空飛行中，有12次直升機飛行的高度低于代代木大廈的高度，該大樓位于約270米的高度。此外，還有6架直升機的飛行高度與大都會政府大樓的天文臺一樣高，達(dá)到202米。飛機在新宿站上空幾乎直接飛過8次，另一個案例是，一架直升飛機在大約170米的高度幾乎差點撞上了與車站相連的商業(yè)建筑。

The remaining five instances saw helicopters fly just above Docomo Tower, among other routes, and it is highly possible the aircraft flew at heights below Japan's safety standards.

在其余五起案例中，直升機在代代木大廈上空，以及其他路線飛行，但飛機飛行的高度極有可能低于日本的安全標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。

U.S. Forces Japan explained in an interview that "U.S. Forces in Japan adhere to bilateral agreements (between the United States and Japan)" and that "all flights conducted by U.S. Forces are either mission-essential or for training and readiness requirements." They commented, "Weather, wind speed/direction, or other factors may affect an aircraft's approach, altitude, speed, descent, etc. as all options are considered when determining the safest possible flight protocol within our bilateral agreements," and emphasized that "at no time will a military flight be authorized for sight-seeing or leisure purposes."

駐日美軍在一次采訪中解釋說，“駐日美軍遵守（美日之間的）雙邊協(xié)議，美國部隊執(zhí)行的所有飛行任務(wù)要么是必要的任務(wù)，要么是為了訓(xùn)練和準(zhǔn)備。”他們說：“天氣、風(fēng)速/風(fēng)向或其他因素可能會影響飛機的進(jìn)近、高度、速度、下降等等。在確定雙邊協(xié)議范圍內(nèi)最安全的飛行協(xié)議時，我們考慮了所有選項，”并強調(diào)“任何時候軍事飛行都不會被授權(quán)為觀光或休閑的目的?！?/b>

Meanwhile, the Status of U.S. Forces Agreement Division of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "If this is true, we'd like to check the situation with U.S. forces."

與此同時，日本外務(wù)省駐美部隊協(xié)定代表則表示，“如果這是真的，我們希望與美軍核實情況。