Handling of radioactivity may be conducted in Yokosuka: Foreign Minister

Japan Press Weekly

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

Handling of radioactivity may be conducted in Yokosuka: Foreign Minister

Foreign Minister Okada Katsuya on March 16 admitted that maintenance work on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington at the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base includes handling of radioactive materials.

He made the remark in response to questioning by Japanese Communist Party representative Inoue Satoshi at a House of Councilors committee meeting on Foreign Affairs and Defense.

The Foreign Ministry has explained that regular maintenance of the George Washington in Yokosuka does not deal with radioactive materials.

However, the U.S. Navy’s instruction document, dated May 2006 and given to the Detachment of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, which conducts regular maintenance of the George Washington, states that the Detachment is “[r]esponsible for ensuring proper control of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program radioactivity associated with maintenance of the forwarded deployed CVN (nuclear aircraft carrier).” Inoue showed the instruction document and stressed that it contradicts the Foreign Ministry’s explanation.

Foreign Minister Okada answered that although replacement of fuel rods and repair of nuclear reactors are not carried out in Japan, the possibility for other radioactivity-related works that may take place on the George Washington during its stay in Yokosuka cannot be excluded.

Inoue criticized the government for allowing the handling of radioactive materials to be conducted in Yokosuka Port without informing local residents.

The JCP parliamentarian also cited the aide-memoir of 1964 which states that no radioactive wastes will be discharged from nuclear powered warships in foreign ports. Pointing out that the U.S. Navy reportedly plans in April to transfer radioactive wastes from the George Washington to another vessel in Yokosuka, Inoue stressed that this contradicts the memoir.

In response to Okada who claimed that the planned work complies with the memoir because it does not include the unloading of radioactive wastes, Inoue said, “The memoir does not say anything about unloading. The work in question clearly violates the stipulation in the memoir.” He urged the government to demand that the U.S. forces release related information and cancel the transfer of radioactive wastes until the necessary verification is conducted.

- Akahata, March 17, 2010