Nagasaki mayor opposes U.S. aegis destroyer entering local port

Nagasaki Mayor Ito Iccho on May 31 expressed his opposition to the planned visit to Nagasaki Port by the U.S. Navy's destroyer Curtis Wilbur from June 6 to 10, criticizing the U.S. government for not considering A-bomb victims in Nagasaki.

Ito stated that the U.S. aegis destroyers, which joined U.S. air strikes against Afghanistan, will increase tension among Japan's neighboring countries.

The U.S. aegis destroyer is armed with nuclear-capable Tomahawk cruise missiles. Mayor Ito has demanded that the U.S. government, Japan's prime minister, and the foreign minister ban the U.S. destroyers' visit to Nagasaki Port. (end)