February 7, 2026
A group of peace activists and union workers in Hokkaido’s Otaru City on February 6 assembled at a pier in the city in protest against the port call by the U.S. Navy Aegis guided missile destroyer “Dewey”.
Japanese Communist Party prefectural assemblymember Maruyama Harumi and the JCP city assemblymembers’ group joined in this action. They pointed out that the U.S. destroyer arrived while the Japan-U.S. joint military exercise in which the Canadian military made its first appearance took place in Hokkaido. They expressed their determination to work together with citizens to pressure the government to shift away from its military expansion policy.
One of the protestors criticized the city mayor for approving the U.S. Navy warship’s visit just because a quay is available in defiance of the citizens’ opposition.
Japanese Communist Party prefectural assemblymember Maruyama Harumi and the JCP city assemblymembers’ group joined in this action. They pointed out that the U.S. destroyer arrived while the Japan-U.S. joint military exercise in which the Canadian military made its first appearance took place in Hokkaido. They expressed their determination to work together with citizens to pressure the government to shift away from its military expansion policy.
One of the protestors criticized the city mayor for approving the U.S. Navy warship’s visit just because a quay is available in defiance of the citizens’ opposition.
