U.S. Navy has begun preparation for homeporting of nuclear-powered carrier to Yokosuka

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U.S. Navy has begun preparation for homeporting of nuclear-powered carrier to Yokosuka

In response to an Akahata inquiry, the commander of U.S. Naval Forces in Japan has admitted that it has plans to construct a facility at the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture to supply pure water to be used as a coolant for the nuclear reactors of an aircraft-carrier to be deployed to the base.

This facility will be constructed near the berth allocated for the aircraft-carrier, and apparently the groundwork is almost finished.

While Yokosuka City residents are calling for a referendum on whether to allow the deployment of a nuclear-powered carrier to the city, the U.S. forces are intensifying their efforts to make the deployment a fait accompli.

The U.S. Navy in its response said the base's existing facility cannot supply a sufficient amount of pure water that meets the rigorous standards required by new vessels including the Nimitz-class aircraft-carrier to be forward-deployed to Japan. Obviously, the construction of the new facility is to prepare for the deployment of the Nimitz-class aircraft-carrier George Washington in 2008.

The U.S. Navy can also use the new facility to supply pure water to nuclear-powered attack submarines, turning the Yokosuka base into a quasi-homeport for these submarines.
- Akahata, December 6, 2006