Ahead of plans for the US Marine Corps' MV-22 Osprey transport based in Okinawa to join in disaster relief training in the western Japanese prefecture of Kochi later this month, officials from the region's defense bureau started a series of visits on Tuesday to notify locals that the expected flight route will avoid airspace over densely populated areas, local press reported.

Both the US Marine Corps and Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) will carry out the joint relief exercise using the 10 MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft in a simulated scenario of a major quake with an epicenter in the Nankai Trough off Japan's Pacific coast. The trough stretches along the east side of the country's main island of Honshu and an earthquake emanating from there could directly hit the Kochi area and cause a tsunami.

On Tuesday, chief members of the Chugoku-Shikoku Defense Bureau, a local branch of the Defense Ministry covering the entire island of Shikoku and the Chugoku region of western Japan, visited the prefectural government, according to Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK), Japan's public broadcaster.

The report said they provided notification that two of the military aircraft will demonstrate their ability to carry injured people from a Japanese Maritime Defense Force escort vessel to US Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The official also said that when conducting transport exercises, the aircraft will make approaches to the SDF's local posts in two seaside cities from the south only, so as to minimize disturbances for the local people, the report added.

Visiting officials will hold further meetings with the heads of cities in the prefecture to dispel heightened public concern over safety issues related to the aircraft.