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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

2,500 people attend to block U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier deployment

About 2,500 people on December 17 braved the cold weather to attend a rally at a park near the U.S. Yokosuka Navy Base in Kanagawa Prefecture opposing a plan to deploy a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to Yokosuka Port.

The rally adopted an appeal pledging to spread the protest movement throughout the prefecture and the nation on the strength of unity.

Kikutani Setsuo, the president of the Kanagawa Prefectural Federation of Trade Unions, stated on behalf of organizers that the Kanagawa governor and the mayors of all 5 cities on Miura Peninsula, including Yokosuka City, have expressed opposition to the deployment plan, and called on the participants to join them in increasing the opposition movement.

Three dangers

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo in his speech spoke about three dangers that the planned deployment of a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier entails.

The first is the danger of nuclear accidents and radioactive contamination in the Tokyo metropolitan area that could affect about 30 million residents. The deployment plan will allow a foreign nuclear reactor to be operated without the national or local governments monitoring its operation, which is unprecedented.

The 2nd danger is that Yokosuka will be further strengthened as a forward deployment base for U.S. military intervention in any part of the world. This is more than likely judging from the fact that an aircraft carrier strike force was the first to be deployed in the U.S. war against Afghanistan and Iraq. The statement of the Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces in Japan that a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier can operate twice as long as a conventional one suggests that the deployment plan will "double the lawless strike power" of the U.S. forces.

The 3rd danger is that Yokosuka Port will forever be used as the only foreign homeport of a U.S. aircraft carrier. The Japanese government and the U.S. Forces have broken three promises they made when the aircraft carrier Midway was first deployed to Yokosuka in 1973. They promised that the deployment period will not be longer than 3 years, that no more military facilities will be constructed, and that carrier-based aircraft units will not conduct touch-and-go exercises.

If the deployment of a state-of-the-art nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is blocked, Shii said, "It will be possible to get rid of the homeport for a U.S. carrier from Yokosuka Port."

After the rally, participants marched in demonstration through the main gate of the Yokosuka base and downtown Yokosuka.
- Akahata, December 18, 2005