Labor unions and citizens protest against visits to Yokohama Port by Japanese and U.S. warships

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Labor unions and citizens protest against visits to Yokohama Port by Japanese and U.S. warships

Labor unions and peace organizations in Yokohama on July 25 staged an on-sea protest against the entry of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's Aegis-type destroyer "Kirishima" into Yokohama Port in Kanagawa Prefecture.

About 50 people on board three boats were from the Yokohama Harbor Workers' Union, the Yokohama City Labor Union, the Yokohama Federation of Trade Unions (Yokohama-Roren), as well as Yokohama's Council against A and H Bombs and the Yokohama Peace Committee. They shouted, "No warships! You're not invited to the pier intended for civil ships!"

The port call was made as part of events marking the 150th anniversary of the opening of the port (April 28-September 27) and the annual "Umi (Sea) Festa Yokohama" (July 18-26). Under the pretext that their visits are designed to express their support for the celebration of the anniversary, MSDF and U.S. ships have visited the port and made themselves open to the public for a couple of days.

The MSDF Kirishima was moored at the port on July 24 and was opened to the public on July 25- 26.

USS John McCain

The USS John S. McCain, an Aegis-type destroyer of the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet, entered Yokohama Port on July 22 and departed the next day. Except for a decade following Japan's surrender to the U.S., no U.S. warship has anchored at the pier of Yokohama Port.

On July 17, the Japanese Communist Party Yokohama City Assembly Members Group visited the city demanding that the port's manager retract its approval of the USS John S. McCain's visit, who asked for permission for her access to the pier and demanded that its open-day plan during the "Umi (Sea) Festa Yokohama" be canceled.

The city explained that the U.S. Navy in May requested the city to allow its port-call on the 150th anniversary of the port's opening.

Onuki Norio, Yokohama's JCP group chair, asked in the assembly if the latest visit of the McCain will trigger further use of the pier by U.S. warships, given the overcrowded situation in the U.S. Naval Yokosuka Base."

The city's director managing the port issue asserted that the city will reject the use of the pier by the U.S. Navy if requested.

- Akahata, July 27, 2009