U.S. missile frigate enters Himeji Port refusing to show its compliance with Three Non-nuclear Principles

The U.S. missile frigate Vandergrift entered Himeji Port in Hyogo Prefecture in western Japan on November 28 in defiance of a protest by about 300 people representing trade unions and peace organizations.

Peace organizations and trade unions have been demanding that the Kobe Non-nuclear Formula,which requires ships entering the port to present a certificate that they do not carry nuclear weapons, be applied to ships entering Himeji City.

The Hyogo Prefectural Government permitted the entry of the ship in spite of the U.S. refusal to state whether or not the ship is in compliance with the Three Non-nuclear Principles (not to manufacture, possess, or allow nuclear weapons to be brought into Japan).The U.S. Forces in Japan told the port authority that they neither deny nor confirm the presence of U.S. nuclear weapons.

At a protest rally on November 26, Aoki Keisuke on behalf of the citizens association which sponsored the rally, said, "The Vandegrift's port call is aimed at scrapping the Kobe Non-Nuclear formula." The association is composed of peace organizations, the Japanese Communist Party, and the New Socialist Party. (end)