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

Shikoku Conference against A&H Bombs held

The 52nd Shikoku Regional Conference against A&H Bombs was held on May 20 and 21 in Kochi City in Kochi Prefecture, focusing on opposition to the planned port call by the U.S. Aegis destroyer Russell at Sukumo Bay Port in Kochi Prefecture from May 23.

Kume Keisuke, Yamaguchi Prefecture Peace Committee representative, who was invited to speak about the struggle against the strengthening of functions of U.S. Iwakuni base, pointed out that the port call by the Russell, which belongs to the U.S. aircraft carrier Lincoln's fleet, is part of U.S. plans to deploy two aircraft carriers in the Western Pacific, one homeported at Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture, and the other homeported mainly at Hawaii but also at Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture. The U.S. wants to make port calls of the Lincoln's accompanying ships at ports near Sasebo, he said.

Peace activists in Shikoku reported that the atomic bomb survivors' (Hibakusha) association of Ehime Prefecture published 1,000 copies of booklets on their experiences of the atomic bombings; actions against Shikoku Electricity Power Co.'s MOX fuel plan; and a court struggle calling for state-recognition of Hibakusha's illness as caused by as a radiation casualty of the atomic bombing.

Haruna Naoaki, Japanese Communist Party candidate for the House of Councilors (proportional representation bloc), gave a speech.
- Akahata, May 21, 2006