A US warship, the USS Blue Ridge, caused controversy as it docked at a Nagasaki harbor, despite refusal of entry from the mayor and regional governor.
Ordinarily stationed in Yokosuka (near Tokyo), the purpose of the ship’s arrival was to promote friendship between Japan and the United States, however the pacifist Nagasaki local government does not want to be friends with a nuclear armed US.
As per an agreement made in 1960, local officials are unable to refuse US ships from entering their ports, and neither Japan nor the Navy was prepared to take any notice of them. Several hundred citizens, including atomic bomb survivors, mounted a protest as the vessel arrived.
It is the seventh such visit by a US naval vessel; Nagasaki itself is right by the US naval base at Sasebo.
Osamu Yoshitomi, an official in Nagasaki City, the second city razed by atomic weapons, gave the following statement:
We don’t want to see the US flag flying at this port, and this feeling will not change until the United States takes a policy towards the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Following the arrival of current US president Barack Obama, some bomb survivors had somehow convinced themselves he would move the US towards a policy of abolitionism.
The USS Blue Ridge itself is a “Blue Ridge” class command and control ship; non-nuclear and carrying only light defensive armaments, its purpose is apparently to serve as a floating hotel for officers when it is not directing amphibious landings.
Via Yahoo News.
The 2010 Nuclear Security Summit, a dream come true!
And The japanese say this after what they did to the surrounding countries? When the Japanese got nuked the only people that didn’t hate them was the chinese and the Germans
lol seriously? silly japs, we still own ur country and u dont even realize it! hahaha!
P.S.
The previous message would’ve been a lot longer, but I lost the motivation to try to convince you otherwise.
Dear Nagasaki,
It has come to my attention that you despise nuclear weapons and wish to have them dismantled. Let me give you a little 411 on what would happen if the United States abolished its nuclear weapons program.
First, note your two closest neighbors, China and North Korea.
As we all know, China has an enormous army and lots of nukes. Do you really think that they would not take the opportunity to invade your country if the U.S. missile program didn’t exist? The Japanese people may make jokes about China all the time, but, believe me, China is just as Imperialistic as the next world super power. Let’s also not forget that they have an army large enough to annihilate your SDF and subvert your people through force. Need I remind you that China still has a grudge against Japan for World War II. It’s difficult to ignore old wounds, especially when genocide is committed.
Next, let’s look at your other neighbor, North Korea. As you’re probably all very aware of, THEY ARE FIRING MISSILES OVER YOUR COUNTRY! Missiles that could potentially harbor nukes, even! Do you think they’ll get rid of THEIR nuclear program if the United States did? Hell no! Kim Jong-Il would rather launch a dozen or so nukes at both Japan and the U.S. and laugh than quit his nuke program!
Because of the nuclear arsenal that the United States possesses, your country remains safe. Do I advocate the use of nuclear weapons? No, but I would rather have them and not need them than need them and not have them.
Signed,
A United States Citizen