Japan Press Weekly

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2008 August 20 - 26 [US FORCES]

Yokosuka citizens hold demonstration against deployment of U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier

About 250 citizens of Yokosuka City in Kanagawa Prefecture held a rally and marched in demonstration through the city on the evening of August 25 shouting slogans against the plan to deploy the nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington to the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base in late September.

The citizens’ group “No to nuclear-powered aircraft carrier!” called the action.

Speaking on behalf of the organizers, Maeda Noriko said, “We categorically refuse to become victims (of nuclear accidents) or to help U.S. forces kill people (in other countries).” She was referring to the recent fire that broke out on the George Washington and the U.S. forces’ ongoing indiscriminate killing of Iraqi citizens.

Some demonstrators were holding colorful balloons and banners and others were wearing yukata, a summer kimono, or cosplay costumes, as they marched in demonstration together with children singing songs of peace.

Hatano Kimie, a Japanese Communist Party candidate for the House of Representatives in Kanagawa and JCP Yokosuka city assembly members participated in the demonstration.

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The U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington departed San Diego, California on August 21 for Yokosuka, Japan.

Immediately before the ship’s departure, two crewmembers were charged in a shooting that occurred on August 16 outside San Diego. One of them, who is believed to have shot two citizens, killing one, had been assigned to the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base till last May as a crewmember of the conventional aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, according to the electronic version of the U.S. newspaper Navy Times on August 21. - Akahata, August 23 and 25