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Hiroshima City legislature expresses opposition to plan to enhance U.S. Iwakuni base functions

The city assembly of Hiroshima, the world's first city to be attacked with a nuclear bomb, adopted a resolution on July 6 expressing opposition to the plan to relocate some of the U.S. Atsugi Naval Air Station's functions to the U.S. Iwakuni Air Station near Hiroshima, as part of the ongoing U.S. military realignment.

The resolution was sent to the parliament, the prime minister, the foreign minister, the Defense Agency director general, and the Defense Facilities Administration Agency director general.

The unanimous resolution stressed that the strengthening of the Iwakuni Base is "a serious matter to Hiroshima citizens," while making it clear that one of Hiroshima City's main missions is to contribute to "achieving lasting peace through overcoming the tragedy of the world's first atomic bombing."

The resolution states, "We cannot accept the plan to transfer the night-landing practice (NLP) and other base functions to Iwakuni because it will cause new anxieties to the citizens."

Last month, the Japanese Communist Party in the city assembly demanded that the Hiroshima mayor express opposition without delay against any plan to expand the base that will expose the citizens to further dangers." - Akahata, July 8, 2005