Hearing starts in lawsuit over dredging in preparation for U.S. nuclear-powered warship deployment

   In the lawsuit seeking an injunction to prohibit the government from dredging at Yokosuka Port in preparation for the deployment of a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base, the first hearing was held on September 3 at the Yokohama District Court Yokosuka Branch in Kanagawa Prefecture.

   This suit was filed by 630 residents in the Tokyo Metropolitan area who are concerned over possible radiation damage by the nuclear-powered warship as well as environmental destruction by the dredging project.

   In a statement that the government submitted to the court in answer to the plaintiffs’ petition, it expressed its position to vigorously contest the plaintiffs. At the same time, the statement acknowledged that the government neither has the authority to examine the safety of the aircraft carrier’s nuclear reactors nor has received information from the U.S. concerning the design and operation of the reactors.

   At a press conference after the hearing, plaintiffs’ lawyer Goto Masahiko said, “Safety of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is the main issue in this lawsuit. I wonder how it will be possible for the government to respond to the specifics of our argument without the necessary information being provided by the U.S. force.”

   The plaintiffs will file an application for provisional injunction against the dredging.                                                                            - Akahata, September 4, 2007