#1 7th fleet not suppose to fight says Admiral
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:35 pm
City
[quote]On a gorgeous morning this autumn, at Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, I was expecting a huge popular demonstration, maybe even a riot. The U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington was about to enter Yokosuka’s harbor, the base of the Seventh Fleet in the Pacific. Never before had a nuclear-powered vessel been based in Japan. It was a clear demonstration of how the U.S. was reinforcing its presence in this part of the world—a danger zone, with China, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan itself, all historical rivals, ranged around it. Japan has a long tradition of pacifist, antinuclear, and anti-American protests, and until now, the only country to have been bombed with nuclear weapons had always opposed hosting nuclear ships.
Yet no riot erupted; in fact, there was no trace of protest. Yokosuka was quiet. The only crowd on hand was on the base: 1,000 Japanese—mostly local dignitaries, politicians, and representatives of the Japanese Navy—joined a group of American officials to attend the majestic and complex maneuver of the George Washington from the high seas to the pier.
Speeches were numerous. The American speakers—ambassador to Japan J. Thomas Schieffer, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter, and a number of admirals—predictably lavished praise on U.S.-Japanese friendship and expressed their commitment to peace in the Pacific. The surprise came from the Japanese side. Yokosuka’s mayor, Ryoichi Kabaya, said that while the Japanese had felt some initial reluctance about hosting a nuclear-powered ship in the port city, they had eventually concluded that the George Washington posed no safety threat. Japan’s newly appointed foreign affairs minister, Hirofumi Nakasone, was even more enthusiastic. He declared that no better friends existed on earth than Japan and America and that their alliance was the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in Asia. I wondered if the good feelings hadn’t received a boost from the recent rekindling of the North Korean nuclear program.
The George Washington eventually reached the pier. Following a Navy tradition, the first men to come ashore were fathers whose children were born in Japan while they were away at sea. Several family reunions ensued, demonstrative enough to embarrass the reserved Japanese.
“The purpose of the Navy,â€
[quote]On a gorgeous morning this autumn, at Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, I was expecting a huge popular demonstration, maybe even a riot. The U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington was about to enter Yokosuka’s harbor, the base of the Seventh Fleet in the Pacific. Never before had a nuclear-powered vessel been based in Japan. It was a clear demonstration of how the U.S. was reinforcing its presence in this part of the world—a danger zone, with China, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan itself, all historical rivals, ranged around it. Japan has a long tradition of pacifist, antinuclear, and anti-American protests, and until now, the only country to have been bombed with nuclear weapons had always opposed hosting nuclear ships.
Yet no riot erupted; in fact, there was no trace of protest. Yokosuka was quiet. The only crowd on hand was on the base: 1,000 Japanese—mostly local dignitaries, politicians, and representatives of the Japanese Navy—joined a group of American officials to attend the majestic and complex maneuver of the George Washington from the high seas to the pier.
Speeches were numerous. The American speakers—ambassador to Japan J. Thomas Schieffer, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter, and a number of admirals—predictably lavished praise on U.S.-Japanese friendship and expressed their commitment to peace in the Pacific. The surprise came from the Japanese side. Yokosuka’s mayor, Ryoichi Kabaya, said that while the Japanese had felt some initial reluctance about hosting a nuclear-powered ship in the port city, they had eventually concluded that the George Washington posed no safety threat. Japan’s newly appointed foreign affairs minister, Hirofumi Nakasone, was even more enthusiastic. He declared that no better friends existed on earth than Japan and America and that their alliance was the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in Asia. I wondered if the good feelings hadn’t received a boost from the recent rekindling of the North Korean nuclear program.
The George Washington eventually reached the pier. Following a Navy tradition, the first men to come ashore were fathers whose children were born in Japan while they were away at sea. Several family reunions ensued, demonstrative enough to embarrass the reserved Japanese.
“The purpose of the Navy,â€
