Japan Press Weekly

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2009 August 26 - September 1 [US FORCES]

U.S. nuclear submarines make 38 port calls in Japan this year

This is the third largest number of entries of U.S. nuclear submarines to Japanese ports, according to reports from local municipalities hosting U.S. bases.

While the number of their port calls in the first eight months this year has decreased by three from the same period of last year, their entries into the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture, which became the homeport of the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington last September, reached ten, double last year’s number.

There have been 21 entries of nuclear submarines into U.S. White Beach in Okinawa and seven into the U.S. Sasebo Naval Base.

The U.S. naval policy is that whenever the need arises it deploys cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads on Los Angeles class attack submarines.

Strong suspicion has arisen that these submarines have been frequently visiting Japan without disarming their nuclear arsenals.

The May final report of the U.S. Congressional Commission on Strategic Posture makes several claims about Japan and the TLAM/N, primarily that extended deterrence [in Asia] relies heavily on the deployment of nuclear cruise missiles on some Los Angeles class attack submarines—the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile/Nuclear (TLAM/N).

In 2002, about ten U.S. attack submarines, identified as nuclear capable, deployed to the Pacific, and made port calls in Japan.

The Uruma City Assembly in Okinawa, which hosts U.S. White Beach, on June 2 adopted a resolution urging the U.S. to stop all U.S. warship visits to the base and to adhere to Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles (not to possess, manufacture, or allow the entry into Japan of nuclear weapons).

Recently, four former high-level foreign ministry officials testified to the existence of the Japan-U.S. secret agreement allowing the bringing of U.S. nuclear weapons into Japan.

Now that the secret agreement has been exposed to be still in operation, it is important to struggle to stop Japan visits by U.S. nuclear submarines and to reveal the existence of the Japan-U.S. secret nuclear agreement and have it abrogated. - Akahata, August 31, 2009