Japan Press Weekly

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2008 June 18 - 24 [US FORCES]

U.S. Navy publishes manga in PR campaign for incoming nuclear aircraft carrier George Washington

As part of a campaign to encourage the Japanese to accept the planned deployment of the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington to Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture, the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces in Japan has published a manga, titled, “MANGA CVN73 USS George Washington” (http://www.cnfj.navy.mil/Manga.html).

Commenting on the comic book, Lawyer Goto Masahiko, who has led the campaign demanding a citywide referendum on the aircraft carrier’s homeporting to the city’s port, stated: “U.S. forces have revealed their self-righteousness by avoiding facing up to the citizens’ concerns about the safety of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and crimes that might be committed in the city by sailors.”

Recently, U.S. servicemen have committed many crimes in and out of the city, including the murders of two citizens.

This comic depicts the CVN73 as a ship that has been “forward-deployed on a routine basis.” However, it mentions nothing about what the carrier has done during its forward-deployment.

During the past 15 years, the George Washington has taken part in major U.S. operations seven times, a number that exceeds in other U.S. aircraft carriers. They include operations that massacred citizens in the western Iraqi city of Fallujah.

The U.S. Navy produced 30,000 copies of the 200-page comic book (B6 size) for a cost of about ten million yen. They will hand copies of "CVN 73" to citizens at the open base events on June 22.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry has also published many “safety pamphlets” with many illustrations in order to help residents to accept the homeporting of the nuclear-propelled ship. - Akahata, June 19, 2008