U.S. nuclear submarine visit to Japanese ports threatens people's safety - Akahata editorial, April 5, 2001

The news of the entry of a U.S. nuclear submarine into Sasebo Port in Nagasaki Prefecture without giving prior notice has shocked the citizens.

U.S. nuclear submarines' entry into Japanese ports involves the danger of radioactive contamination. How outrageous it is for the U.S. to fail to issue prior notice, which is indispensable to taking preventive measures to ensure safety.

This is not the kind of question that can be dismissed as "miscommunication."

Disaster prevention measures for nuclear submarines which carry nuclear reactors, are not nearly as strict as for nuclear power plants.

There is an arrangement between Japan and the U.S. that requires the U.S. Forces to give the Japanese foreign ministry a 24-hour advance notice before the entry into Japanese ports of a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine.

This arrangement was made as a result of strong opposition expressed by the Japanese people who were worried about radioactive contamination when the first nuclear submarine entered the port in 1964.

With prior notice, the Foreign Ministry will pass the information to local municipalities concerned and to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports. The latter will measure the radioactivity dose in sea water and confirm safety.

In the case of the unannounced entry of the USS Chicago, inspecting officers happened to be in Sasebo Port because another submarine was anchored there, and managed to inspect the water. Otherwise, there would have been no inspection at all.

In fact, radioactivity levels higher than usual was detected with the entry of U.S. nuclear submarines in Yokosuka Port in Kanagawa Prefecture.

In May 1968, a U.S. submarine visiting Sasebo Port caused an accident with a radioactivity leak, and this became a serious issue. At the time, the Japanese government was obliged to work out an "Outline" on radioactivity measurement to comply with the Atomic Energy Commission's advice that no entry into ports by a nuclear submarine is permitted unless there is a sufficient monitoring mechanism.

But it turned out that the radioactivity data themselves had been fabricated, as was revealed in 1974 in the parliament by Fuwa Tetsuzo, who was then Japanese Communist Party Secretariat head.

The attitude that the Japanese government has taken on this issue is inexplicable.

Following the nuclear criticality accident at the nuclear-fuel processing plant of JCO in Tokai Village in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1999, the government has set out a basic plan for disaster prevention saying that concerned local autonomies will take measures to prevent nuclear submarine accident. But, if the U.S. doesn't make prior notice on port calls, it is impossible for local governments to deal with such an accident.

Immediately after the USS Chicago incident, Foreign Minister Kono Yohei said that the government will suspend cooperation with the U.S. in allowing U.S. nuclear submarines to enter Japanese ports until the U.S. explains to Japan about the reason why the USS Chicago's port call at Sasebo was made without prior notification. But, on the following day, he retracted this remark when the minister counselor of the U.S. Embassy explained that it was only due to "miscommunication."

This is not the first time for the U.S. Forces to break rules on port calls in Japan by U.S. nuclear submarines. Every year, they have violated rules by failing to give advance notice. Why do they repeatedly break the rules, claiming that it is only "miscommunication"?

The matter is great because of the danger of radioactive contamination and thus directly affects the safety of the people.

If Japan's government uncritically accepts the U.S. explanation of "miscommunication" and closes the case without making any efforts to investigate, it will be tantamount to allowing the U.S. to continue breaking rules.

In addition to nuclear subs' arrogant port calls, violation of rules by the U.S. Forces in Japan has become prevalent, such as the low-altitude flight exercises, forcible landings by fighter aircraft at civil airports, and other warships' port calls at civil ports.

What underlies each of these actions by the U.S. Forces is the Japanese government's attitude of failing to fulfill its duty to secure the people's safety and condoning any action by the U.S. Forces in the name of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.

The recent outrageous emergency surfacing by the U.S. nuclear submarine which sunk the fishing training boat Ehime Maru off Hawaii reveals us how dangerous U.S. nuclear subs are.

For the purpose of protecting the people's lives, the government must take steps to end port calls of U.S. nuclear submarines in Japan. (end)