Local symposium held in opposition to deployment of U.S. nuclear-powered warship to Yokosuka

A symposium was held on June 12 in Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture to discuss a reported plan to deploy a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa.

The Kanagawa Prefectural Association for a Non-Nuclear Government and the Kanagawa Council against A & H Bombs (Kanagawa Gensuikyo) sponsored the symposium.

Niihara Shoji, special researcher for the Association for a Non-Nuclear Government, as a panelist pointed out that the plan is aimed at strengthening U.S. bases in Japan as a major stronghold for the U.S. preemptive attack strategy.

The other panelist, Goto Masahiko, lawyer and co-representative of a Yokosuka residents' group in opposition to the deployment plan, stressed the possibility that a nuclear-powered warship may cause a nuclear reactor accident affecting Tokyo and surrounding areas.

In his congressional testimony, the U.S. Pacific Command commander had indicated that the conventionally powered Kitty Hawk stationed in Yokosuka would be replaced in 2008 by a state-of-the-art nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. (end)