Okinawa ⁠— A diving unit has recovered two bodies from the wreckage of a Japanese military helicopter that crashed in the East China Sea earlier this month with a lieutenant general aboard The two unnamed males were taken Sunday to Hirara Port on Miyako Island where their deaths were confirmed at 6:55 p.m a Ground Self-Defense Force spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Monday Three additional bodies remain in a section of the UH-60JA Black Hawk's fuselage discovered Sunday morning in 350 feet of water north of Irabu Island The 8th Air Wing aircraft disappeared from radar at 3:56 p.m April 6 during a reconnaissance flight 11 miles northwest of Miyako Airport a member of Camp Miyako’s security force and five members of the Ground Self-Defense Force’s 8th Division headquarters staff was appointed division commander less than a month ago He previously served as commander of the 12th Brigade The two recovered bodies arrived around noon Monday at Naha Airport aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter from Camp Miyako according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK The Ground Self-Defense Force spokesman declined further comment seven Japanese navy and coast guard vessels and 380 personnel continued the search Monday for the remaining five crew members and the rest of the aircraft Some government spokespeople in Japan are required to speak to the media only on condition of anonymity Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday confirmed the deaths on his official Twitter account He vowed to reunite Sakamoto and the missing crew members with their families The Black Hawk had flown to Miyako from its base on Kyushu the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands and crashed 10 minutes after taking off from Miyako Airport The crew last radioed air traffic controllers about two minutes before the helicopter disappeared from radar but said nothing about in-flight emergencies Initial search efforts were hindered by currents and an abundance of coral on the seafloor The wreckage and at least three bodies were first discovered at around 10 p.m Thursday using sonar and underwater cameras a Ground Self-Defense Force spokeswoman said Friday A remotely operated underwater vehicle launched the next day revealed “severe” damage to the aircraft section Rough seas kept divers from the area until Sunday a Joint Staff spokesman said by phone that day More than 20 pieces of the helicopter have been found according to the Ground Self-Defense Force on Thursday The aircraft’s flight recorder has not been found Ishigaki and Motobu will be able to accept larger ships from April New and extended berths are to be completed at the four main ports of Okinawa prefecture in Japan this April allowing for the arrival of larger cruise ships Construction is currently underway at the ports of Naha Ishigaki and Motobu to expand the capacity of the region to accommodate visits by larger vessels a second cruise berth is being built to receive ships of up to 220,000gt which previously had to use the port’s container terminal located 300 kilometres to the southwest of Okinawa Island on Miyako Island Further works will now make it possible for ships of up to 220,000gt to make use of the extended berth from April Both the Port of Ishigaki on the island of Ishigaki and the Port of Motobu on Okinawa Island have also extended existing cruise berths to enable them to receive ships of a similar size The Naha second cruise berth is scheduled to receive 95 calls from April to December Current restrictions from the Japanese government prevent the visits of international travellers meaning that the first arrivals will be from domestic Japanese cruise lines Tags: Okinawa   Port of Naha   Port of Hirara   Port of Ishigaki   Port of Motobu The most popular stories of the month delivered to your inbox Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report NAHA—A venomous elegant pitviper was found dead on Miyakojima a subtropical southern island long believed free from poisonous snakes The snake was discovered at a port on the island about 330 kilometers southwest from the main island of Okinawa raising fears the dangerous serpent could be living there Although Okinawa prefectural officials said the snake may have hitched a ride to Miyakojima island inside a shipping container They quickly issued an advisory for tourists planning to descend on Miyakojima to beware of the snake during the Golden Week holiday season never go near it and immediately alert the public health center,” an official said The venom of the elegant pitviper is not as toxic as other poisonous snakes collectively known as “habu” that inhabit islands in southwestern Japan But bites can cause severe pain and swelling and young children and elderly people should particularly beware of the danger The dead snake was discovered in an opening between a container and the ground on the pier of the Hirara Port of the island on March 30 weighed 12.7 grams and was believed to be about a year and half old Habu live on Amami-Oshima island and nearby islands in the south of Kagoshima Prefecture as well as most islands in Okinawa Prefecture Only a handful of islands are free from poisonous snakes The puzzling habitat of habu is related to the history of how those islands were formed ancestors of habu could easily move around when the future islands were part of the Chinese continent A rise in ocean levels and other natural events led to the birth of the islands and some contained habu while others did not The elegant pitviper has been known to inhabit Ishigakijima island This is not the first time a habu was discovered on Miyakojima an elegant pitviper was found in the vicinity of Hirara Port It is believed to have brought from outside the island The one in March also likely came in from outside the island officials cannot rule out the possibility that the venomous snakes might have made Miyakojima their home Officials have arranged 30 cages around the port for about four months to see if they catch any possible pitvipers Venom antidotes have been delivered to the prefectural Miyako Hospital Lisa’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan/ Amami-Oshima: Explore a wild island SDF units arrive in Okinawa isles to prepare anti-missile systems Defense officials fear helicopter crash may affect security strategy SDF’s pivot to southwest a cause for concern in Okinawa governor of Okinawa do not meet during visit Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission and spectacular abundance of undersea creatures By There are sugarcane plantations and mango trees and a few other things to see but the island’s main attractions are its powdery white sand Because my family and I arrived at Miyako airport in the late afternoon Sunayama is about 15 minutes north from the main town of Hirara and is a popular attractive little beach with a natural stone arch (unfortunately blocked off by rather unattractive metal fencing) Snorkeling there was decent enough around the edges with a few schools of fish and it proved an easy introduction for my young son who was nervous to be swimming in the ocean for the first time.  when we traveled cross-island to a broad expanse of sand known as Aragusuku Beach The clear shallow water made it the perfect spot for a beginner to don a life-jacket Daddy,” enthused my son after we climbed back onto the beach creamsicle-colored clownfish peeked back at us through the pale pink swirl of anemone tentacles.  On Shimoji’s west side (past the new airport) is 17END a walkway that extends out over one particularly stunning stretch of sea Less impressive were the city beaches of Painagama and Yonaha Maehama Fronted by large concrete steps and looking out on the port a large stretch of sand south of Hirara dotted with jet-ski rentals and barbecue restaurants Miyako-soba was tasty and all the usual Okinawan standards (goya chanpuru umi-budo) could be found at local restaurants I’d also recommend a trip to the local co-op store to buy fresh or frozen mangoes and homemade sausages you can also stock up on Orion beer and awamori (as well as SPAM flip-flops and fishing spears…) at the Donki Hote next door.  Renting a car is by far the better option on Miyako, as public transportation is limited and infrequent. Exploring the back roads through the sugarcane fields, some unpaved and dotted with old stone Okinawan tombs I’d also recommend bringing your own snorkeling stuff there are plenty of companies that offer tours and equipment rentals On our final day, we returned to Aragusuku Beach hoping to find one of the large sea turtles that swim in with the morning tide before the snorkeling tours from the big hotels and happened upon an immense dark-shelled fellow grazing placidly on seagrass We drifted near this graceful creature for a while until it was time for him to head back out to sea and for us to head back to the beach From purple sweet potatoes to wild horse sightings here’s how to make the most of Okinawa’s tropical escape Explore the best local brands shaping Tokyo’s fashion scene From vintage clothing to Hawaiian-themed goods here’s what’s worth checking out before it’s gone From buying and registering a bike to key rules of the road Collagen staples for beauty and health in Japan Our handpicked list of the best events going on this month and the untold tales of Japan’s queer community Everything you need to know before and during a natural disaster Stay up to date with Tokyo news and events Today's print edition Home Delivery Japan's tourism boom has exposed the need for regional authorities to develop infrastructure and help secure the manpower needed to deal with the influx of foreign tourists Miyakojima in Okinawa is one of those struggling tourist destinations As a growing number of cruise ships arrive from abroad the island's government and business circles are struggling to address such issues as the limited capacity of its port and the lack of taxi drivers.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Miyakojima received 85 port calls from cruise ships in the first seven months of fiscal 2016 starting in April well above the 14 logged the previous year The passenger tally meanwhile surged to a record of 123,578 in the same period eclipsing the 11,023 logged the previous year In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Okinawa — Japanese authorities safely detonated 30 shells believed to be left over from World War II this week on Miyakojima a popular tourist destination 170 miles southwest of Okinawa’s main island The ordnance was discovered in December during dredging at Port Hirara “A private contractor sweeping the site for magnetic signatures discovered the shells,” a spokesman for Miyakojima City’s Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Division told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday a spokesman for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force said by phone Wednesday “The shells appeared to be U.S.-made,” he said It’s customary in Japan for some government officials to speak to reporters on condition of anonymity Ten explosive ordnance disposal divers from JMSDF Sub Area Activity Okinawa were assigned to detonate the shells in the waters approximately a half-mile from the port Restrictions were also placed on water recreation The detonation was carried out at 10:30 a.m Tuesday “without any trouble,” and all restrictions were lifted by 11:15 a.m. Approximately 10,000 tons of ordnance were dropped on Okinawa during the Battle of Okinawa and nearly 2,000 tons remain undiscovered according to the prefecture’s General Bureau website Crews disposed of nearly 15 tons between April 1 Divers have recovered two bodies of Ground Self-Defense Force members who were aboard the helicopter that crashed in waters off Okinawa Prefecture The Defense Ministry announced on the evening of April 16 that the government had confirmed the two crew members’ deaths after saturation divers descended to the sea bottom that day and spotted the helicopter wreckage and five crew members Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters at his office on April 17 that he felt “heartbreaking grief” about the tragedy The 10 people aboard the helicopter included senior officials of the GSDF’s 8th Division who had been recently assigned Kishida pledged that the central government “will do its best to have all 10 members who have put everything they have into their jobs to defend Japan returned to their families as soon as possible.” the helicopter and five bodies were discovered about six kilometers north of Irabujima island on the sea floor about 106 meters below the surface Divers recovered two of the five bodies and a Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel transported the bodies to Hirara Port in Miyakojima in the prefecture GSDF doctors confirmed the deaths of the two adult men at around 7 p.m. Family members are expected to be allowed to see the remains to identify the bodies The search and rescue team will continue its efforts to recover the three remaining bodies and search for the missing five Divers pinpoint copter wreckage; bodies of 5 seen lying on seabed Divers arrive at site in Okinawa where wreckage ‘Large object’ detected where Hokkaido boat went missing Parts of GSDF helicopter found in Okinawa; crew still missing ‘Large object’ on Hokkaido seabed just an uneven rock formation Miyakojima Shi has a very high level of seismic activity Based on data from the past 55 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900 there are about 115 quakes on average per year in or near Miyakojima Shi Miyakojima Shi has had at least 4 quakes above magnitude 7 since 1900 which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently probably on average approximately every 30 to 35 years Miyakojima Shi has about 21.8 quakes of magnitude 3 or higher per year The quake had a very shallow depth of 22 km (13 mi) and was reported felt by some people near the epicenter Miyakojima Shi has had 4 quakes of magnitude 3.0 or above and 9 quakes between 2.0 and 3.0 There have been also 10 quakes below magnitude 2.0 which people don't normally feel The quake had a moderate depth of 72 km (45 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so).