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Yokosuka City Assembly unanimously opposes deployment of nuclear aircraft carrier

The Yokosuka City Assembly in Kanagawa Prefecture on November 2 unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the plan to deploy a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base to be canceled. Copies of the resolution were delivered to the Speaker and President of the Diet, the prime minister, foreign minister, and defense minister.

On the Japan-U.S. governments' agreement to deploy a nuclear aircraft carrier to Yokosuka base from 2008 to replace the conventional aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, which has used the base as its homeport, the resolution states:

"It's an arbitrary agreement in that it goes against the wishes of Yokosuka citizens. The assembly cannot accept the agreement which was published without any prior information provided to the city."

Negishi Kazuko, the Japanese Communist Party's assembly member group chief, stated: "It is important that all assembly members agreed on the statement calling for 'opposition to the deploying of nuclear aircraft carrier,' though it includes a call for "the continued presence of a conventional aircraft carrier at Yokosuka. Both governments must seriously accept the statement."

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Peace and democratic organizations in Kanagawa, including the Kanagawa Prefectural Council against A and H Bombs (Kanagawa Gensuikyo, headed by Saito Kimiko) on the same day visited the Foreign Ministry to demand that Foreign Minister Aso Taro retract the acceptance of a plan to deploy a nuclear aircraft carrier at Yokosuka as its homeport.

A foreign ministry official emphasized that the consistent presence of the U.S. Navy in Japan is vital to Japan's safety and to international peace and security in the Far East." -- Akahata, November 4, 2005