Greetings from Japan. Interesting to find this story in your blog. The bullets falling from the helicopter are actually a small part of a much larger concern in the cities surrounding NAF Atsugi, Japan.

The local community is very sensitive to our presence near their homes. As part of our mission, the aircraft based here take off and land throughout the day, on a regular basis. One of the arguments about ceasing and desisting our flight routine is safety.

We've had small parts fall off jets infrequently in the past, causing no damage, but building an argument that there is a hazard with U.S. military aircraft. The bullets falling from the helo are another example for local citizens/politicians to use to bolster that argument.

However, considering the number of flights taking off and landing daily, and the fact that there hasn't been a major mishap in more than 40 years, I'd say that the benefit of the training gained from the flights (regional stability) far outweigh any potential risk. Our aviators and air crew personnel place safety first in all situations.

Thanks for the update on the situation. That helps me to understand what is going on in a way that makes more sense.