U.S. nuclear submarine visits have not been reduced

Akahata of August 18 reported that 10 U.S. nuclear attack submarines made 31 visits to three Japanese ports during the period between January 1st and August 17. This is almost the same level as last year during the same period (34 visits).

February's tragedy of the Japanese training trawler "Ehimemaru," which was hit and sunken by the U.S. submarine "Greeneville" off Hawaii, still remains within everyone's memory. But the U.S. Forces are far from reducing the number of such visits or Japanese people's concern about possible accidents.

Eight port calls were at Yokosuka Port (Kanagawa Prefecture) which the U.S. Navy uses as its base; 12 at Sasebo in Nagasaki Pref., and 11 at U.S. White Beach in Okinawa Prefecture.

On April 2, the U.S. nuclear submarine Chicago entered Sasebo without giving prior notice. Okinawa's Katsuren Town Assembly on April 9 expressed unanimous opposition to port calls at White Beach Area by U.S. nuclear submariners.

Akahata said that these ports are being used as advance bases for operational activities by Hawaii-based U.S. nuclear submarines for supply and rest for U.S. personnel who are assigned to operations in the wide-ranging area from the Pacific Ocean to the Middle East.

This year's port calls by U.S. nuclear submarines in Japan have taken place when they make rotational deployments to the West Pacific or when the U.S. Forces conduct military exercises with Asian countries in the area, Akahata said.

Through investigation into Hawaii's incident, it was learned that in 2000, 60 Japanese took part in demonstration cruises by U.S. nuclear subs, each mission with 15 observers. According to a record of Yokosuka Port, four such cruises were carried out in areas surrounding Japan, Akahata said.

In Sagami Bay off Yokosuka Port, there is a U.S. submarine training area. A terrible incident like Hawaii's will likely happen in the area, where U.S. nuclear submarines are frequently cruising, the paper warned. (end)