US air bases blamed for fluorinated pollutants on Japanese island

An image showing a sign posted by town officials to warn people not to drink nearby polluted spring water is pictured in Kadena, Okinawa, Friday, May 10, 2019

Source: Carlos Vazquez/© 2019 Stars and Stripes, All Rights Reserved

Diplomatic tensions between the two nations have been stoked by accusations that the US military has polluted Okinawa with PFAS chemicals

Pollution that has contaminated waterways on the Japanese island of Okinawa probably come from two US air bases and is stoking diplomatic tensions between Japan and America. The suspected source of the pollutants are firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) that have long been used for training exercises at facilities like the US Kadena Air Base and Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Okinawa.