U.S. nuke aircraft carrier George Washington deployed in Yokosuka

YOKOSUKA, Japan, Sept. 25 Kyodo - The nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington arrived Thursday at
its new home port in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, replacing the conventional
aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk amid protests by local residents and anti-nuclear
activists.
More than 2,000 people, mostly families of the George Washington's crew
members, cheered and welcomed the arrival of the carrier with banners and small
U.S. flags. But hundreds of demonstrators staged rallies against the first
permanent deployment of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier at a Japanese port,
prompted partly by concerns over a possible radiation leakage.
''We cannot allow this forced deployment of a nuclear-powered aircraft,
ignoring our calls for safety,'' Masahiko Goto, representative of a local civic
group opposing the deployment, said.
At the arrival ceremony, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer reiterated
the importance of the U.S.-Japan security alliance and the George Washington's
role in its new home port.
''The United States has no more important alliance in the world than the
U.S.-Japan alliance. And as of today, the forces of freedom in the Pacific will
have no more powerful ship to defend their interests than the USS George
Washington right here in Yokosuka,'' Schieffer said.
Schieffer also stressed the safety of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in
his speech.
''For our part, America is proud to say that we will do everything within our
power to ensure that the USS George Washington operates safely and securely in
the waters of Japan and the world,'' said Schieffer.
''The safety record of the American nuclear-powered fleets is unblemished and
we mean to keep it that way,'' he said.
In similar remarks, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, who assumed the post one
day before, stressed the need for the carrier to be deployed, referring to
''various difficult situations'' in the Korean peninsula and other neighboring
areas.
''So, I think it is a good thing also from the Japan-U.S. security treaty
viewpoint,'' Aso told reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo.
Local residents and anti-nuclear activists are concerned about nuclear safety,
particularly following a fire that broke out on the vessel while it was
traveling off the coast of South America in May.
Repair work as a result of the fire has delayed the deployment of the George
Washington for about a month.
The Nimitz-class carrier is one of the world's largest warships, approximately
97,000 tons and 330 meters long, accommodating some 5,600 personnel and more
than 70 airplanes.
The U.S. Navy says the deployment demonstrates U.S. commitment, providing the
most advanced capabilities to the 7th Fleet to maintain international peace and
stability in the Far East in line with the Japan-U.S. security treaty.
The vessel uses two pressurized-water reactors, each with a thermal output of
about 600,000 kilowatts.
Local residents, who are anxious about a possible nuclear accident, see the
situation as being equivalent to having a nuclear power plant in the vicinity
of a heavily populated national capital, said Ryuji Yagi, a member of a
Yokosuka-based anti-nuclear group.
The U.S. government and U.S. forces have assured Japan that they will strictly
commit to the safety of nuclear-powered vessels in its fleet.
But safety concerns have heightened following a fire on the George Washington,
caused by unauthorized smoking by crew members in May, as well as a
recently-revealed leakage of radioactive water from the U.S. nuclear-powered
submarine the Houston during its past port calls in Japan.
The George Washington is the fourth U.S. aircraft carrier to be stationed at
Yokosuka following the Midway, the Independence and the Kitty Hawk.