Accident by Marines on Okinawa Assailed
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TOKYO — Okinawan lawmakers formally objected Friday to the U.S. military presence on their island and denounced the Marines’ accidental use of bullets containing uranium during firing practice.
The resolution passed by the state assembly also called for guarantees that the local government will be notified quickly of military accidents.
The U.S. military acknowledged Monday that its jets mistakenly fired 1,520 uranium bullets during shooting practice near the Japanese island in late 1995 and early 1996, then waited a year before notifying Japan.
The United States said the uranium bullets had been mislabeled. U.S. officials said that use of the bullets posed no risk to the environment or health.
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