JCP: Don't allow civil ports to be used for military purposes

Following the simultaneous entry of five U.S. warships into four Japanese
civil ports on August 28, the Japanese Communist Party has demanded that the
government forbid the use of the nation's civil ports for military purposes.

The five U.S. warships were: the guided missile cruiser Vincennes at
Himeji (Hyogo Pref.); the guided missile frigate Gary at Nagoya (Aichi
Pref.), the destroyer Cushing and the guided missile frigate Vandegrift at
Wakayama (Wakayama Pref.), and the guided missile destroyer John S. McCain
at Shimizu (Shizuoka Pref.).

JCP members of parliament, including Akamine Seiken, Lower House member
(Okinawa), on August 29 met with Vice Foreign Minister Uetake Shigeo.

In the meeting, Akamine pointed out that the latest U.S. warship visits
are in line with the Guidelines for Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation which
mandates local civil ports to cooperate with the U.S. Forces in an
emergency. "This is a matter of serious concern which has an important
bearing on the destiny of the Japanese people," Akamine said.

Vice Foreign Minister Uetake first insisted that the entry of the U.S.
warships into Japanese ports is in conformity with the Japan-U.S. Status of
Forces Agreement. (end)