March 25, 2025

The U.S. Navy mine countermeasures ship “Warrior” arrived at a wharf in Kobe Port on March 24 in disregard of the “Kobe Formula” which requires foreign military vessels to submit a document certifying that they are not carrying nuclear weapons before entering the port.

This is the first time that the port has accommodated a U.S. warship since the “Kobe Formula” was established in 1975.

When the minesweeper arrived at Maya Wharf at around 9:00 a.m., 120 citizens, including peace activists, Japanese Communist Party Kobe City Assemblyperson Maeda Akira, and dockworkers, shouted in chorus, “Obey the rules!” in protest against the Warrior’s entry to the port. One of the protesters said, “The U.S. government may be trying to undermine the Kobe Formula because our system is most likely a bone in their throat choking them.”

About 200 people staged a protest rally near the Kobe City government office which allowed the USS Warrior to enter the port, and a solidarity protest took place in front of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

Concurrently, JCP Assemblymembers at a harbor committee meeting of the Kobe City Assembly urged the city government to strictly block the entry of foreign vessels that do not submit non-nuclear weapons certificates to the city.

Asakura Etsuko at the meeting questioned the port authority’s handling of the issue, saying, “Why did you allow the Warrior to enter the port?” The head of the port authority replied that the procedures for the Warrior’s entry into the port were taken based on the views of Japan’s Foreign Ministry and the policy of the U.S. government. Okawara Suzuko demanded that the port authority admit that it failed to have the Warrior abide by the Kobe Formula. She added that the city government should clearly state that it will strictly enforce the Non-Nuclear Kobe Port Formula.

Past related article:
> 50 years since establishment of nuclear-free Kobe Port Formula [March 17, 2025]