Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

From Cherbourg, France 2 ships that carries very, very hazardous nuclear fuels, so called MOX departed. The ships' destinations are several Japanese ports near nuclear power plants.

That is nothing but bothersome not only to Japan but also France and other nations in the world. From France to Japan the ships would sail on the Atlantic ocean and Pacific oceans. If the MOX fuels got some troubles such as radiation leak, coastal regions near the ships would be affected. The potential regions would include North America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand. The transported MOX fuels contains 1.4 tons of plutonium that can possibly be converted to nuclear weapons.

If the terrorist attack the ships, what would happen? Is this what people of the world can be happy with?

That MOX fuels are not even welcome by Japanese. Only by people related to nuclear power plant businesses.   

The MOX fuels are very inefficient. The current power plants in Japan are not well equipped for MOX fuels.

The use of MOX fuels are not even permitted by local authorities. After the fuels arrived, it would have to wait for years in order to be used in the plants. It may never be used!

People of the world, especially French, Americans, Australians, New Zealanders, and Japanese. Please protest this stupid and dangerous sailing. That is much worse than whaling ship and even nuclear powered aircraft carrier like CVN 73.

"Look, we've sailed Navy ships around the world for 60 years with nuclear power plants on them. We can store and reprocess spent nuclear fuel, Senator Obama, no problem." concerning energey crisis on last presidential debate.

Yes, he is right. There are 10 nuclear aircraft carriers that belong to the U.S. Navy. One of them is CVN 73, George Washington, which was deployed in Yokosuka city, 20 miles from Japan's capital Tokyo. We don't like it. The ship should go back to its homeland, not the country whose people don't like it much. I hate it. It is dangerous and making me nervous. If it breaks, estimated 1.6 million people would die by leaked radiation.

 It should be used for the generation of cities, rather than military purpose. The nuclear powered ship on the sea is very, very dangerous. It costs much more than conventional ship. The reactors should be transformed to fit the plants on the ground.

Although I do not support nuclear power as substitute for oil, it is much better to be used for generation for inland cities .

McCain said "reprocess spent nuclear fuel." That is not practical any more. A lot of countries failed. It costs so much money and pollute the land around the reprocessing factories. However, unspent nuclear fuel inside the ships should be used by stopping the navigation and dismantling the ships. It is time to do that. Use the energey for the daily life not for the military. Let the troops back on the shores.

The U.S. is now in historical financial crisis, they have to reduce military spending dramatically. They cannot afford stationing their troops abroad. Foreign nations including my country are not generous lending their lands for the U.S. military any more.

Whether Obama or McCain becomes president of the U.S., what they have to do is rethink their military policy which has been failing.

No more nuclear ships! Let's make the world safe by abondaning such dangerous ships!

Last Friday, on the day U.S. Navy announced the entry of Nuclear aircraft carrier in Yokosuka city, George Washington to be 25 of September. The kind of granade weapon were fired from mountain near the U.S. Navy Base in Yokosuka. The shots could not reach the base, but it was appearent they were aimed towards the base. Yokosuka is located near Japan's capital Tokyo. The most dense region in the world with the population of 30 million.

Citizens have been protesting the deployment because of the danger of nuclear reactor inside the ship. The ship itself caught the fire on the sea and the deployment was delayed for more than a month. It was supposed to be deployed on 19 of August. The fear grew by the fire accident. Not only that it was found U.S. navy submarine, Houston leaked radioaction into the sea for 2 years.

Such incident was easily predicted. Americans might call it "Terror Attack." For us, it is not. It is a resistance attack like what happened in Occupied France by Nazi-Germany, Vietnam in 1960's to 70's and Baghdad currently.

It is illegal, and the violent act should not be encouraged but those who do not welcome the ship and the U.S. military presence at all, are reluctant to condemn such act.

However, I am doing another type of resistance. Boycotting American goods (except things necessary for my life and movies, music, books and art works.) That way is more peaceful. I also demand Japanese goverment not to provide aid to the U.S. military bases and eventually get rid of them from Japan. I am no longer American friend. The below is what I posted You Tube for the PR of protest. This was before the arrival schedule change was announced. So the scheduled arrival date indicated in the clip is August 19, which was delayed to September 25. I am planning to make new version of it with music and more details after the dangerous ship arrived in our capital region.

On 2nd of August, I went to U.S. Navy Base in Yokosuka city, 30 kilometers from Tokyo.

On that day, "Navy Friendship Day" festival was held there. "Friendship?" Huh? Are they our friends?

The navy is bringing very dangerous ship to the sea near our capital. That is CVN 73, George Washington.

They were providing comic books that describe life of the crews, how much they are excited to live in Japan, how much they love Japan. Such a cliche just irritated me.

In fact the story were all fiction including the scene of the fire in laundry room. A crew extinguished the fire from a dryer immediately and prevented it from spreading. 

In May the CVN 73 caught a big fire on the sea near South America. The fire spread out to 80 compartments in the ship. It took 12 hours to extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire was announced 2 months later and it was from cigarette in non-smoking area. The fire was flashed off flammable fuels near it. The fuels were placed in prohibited area.

The morale of the crews was proved to be terrible. We can never rely on such crews for controlling the dangerous nuclear ship. I've already written a post about danger of nuclear aircraft carrier on this blog several times. I also posted You Tube video clip for this issue.

At night I saw fireworks lighting over the sea. It was very beautiful scene. I really enjoyed especially because I could see it lying on the football field inside the base.

The cost of maintaining the base facilities came from our tax. If they are protecting our land, I wouldn't care. But they just use that for their purposes and threaten our lives. We don't want them around us any more.

America should change their policy. They have to care about their own people rather than people outside their country. Abondon foreign bases and go back to traditional isolationism.

Last month I saw the documentary film featuring the U.S. soldiers and their miserable lives. The title was "AMERICA BANZAI, crazy as usual." The film featured Iraq war veterans who ended up being homeless after they came back home. Young soldier who refused to go to Iraq and dishonorably discharged. I hope this would be shown in the U.S. The director of the film is Japanese.

Living as American seems so hard except being Paris Hilton.

Breaking News came up!

Nuclear aircraft carrier, CVN "George Washington" has caught a fire on the sea near South America. US Navy told the press it took hours to distinguish the fire. No damage on the nuclear reactor was reported. No affect on navigation. The navy will transport the ship to the Yokosuka city as scheduled.

FUC K US NAVY!

Taking hours to distinguish the fire, this is very abnormal situation for the navy ship. We don't want such fragile and abnormal ship near us. Actually there is no need for that stupid ship in our country's security. As I mentioned in this article, the only reason US military stays in our country is cheaper cost by our tax.

The carrier will be deployed in Yokosuka, middle August and if an accident happens again! They will destroy our land. The ship will be the Third Atomic Bomb!

This is the end of US-Japan relationship.  

"George Washington" should not come! The ship will meet unwelcome atmosphere by Yokosuka citizens. This will expand anti-US sentiment all over Japan. The U.S. Navy will make most stupid choice in its history.

"Yankees, go home! Do not pollute our land and kill us in the name of "Defense.""

Answer to Pritcht,

The information you get all comes from the military.  Please see this video clip on You Tube.

The photo below is the gathering of Yokosuka citizens who protest deployment of Nuclear aircraft carrier USS "George Washington" which is scheduled to dock in Yokosuka port in August. Yokosuka is just 20 miles away from Tokyo. 

I call that ship "Third Atomic Bomb." The citizen group collected more than 52,000 signatures to call for referendum to object the deployment. But the city council voted down the referendum plan. Maybe because the council members were afraid that the Japanese government would stop paying subsidies to the city if they approve the plan.

I've already written why I call it that way. Please read this post for the detail.

The photo below is the campaign I started with the protestors.

This post is the statement I made to the U.S. government.

The problem is not just nuclear carrier, the bigger issue that includes this dangerous ship deployment is US bases in Japan.

The US bases have been placed in Japan since the defeat of Japanese imperial army in 1945. The purpose was to occupy the defeated enemy and counter the communist nations such as Soviet Union.

But the Pacific war and the Cold War are all over, then why are they still in Japan?

The answer is simple. Japan is paying the expense for the bases such as salaries for civilian personnels, utilities, construction of the buildings and housing inside the bases. The amount is almost 6 billion US $.

For a long time, Japanese have been too generous to believe the U.S. troops are defending us while we only have very small and weak military troops. Since the cold war is over, there is no particular threat to us. Soviet Union collapsed. China has been thought to be next threat. But that is nonesense. China is biggest trade partner for Japan and the biggest buyer of the U.S. government bonds. The U.S. wouldn't help Japan even if China attacks us.

Actually, the U.S. troops never defended Japan even before. During the cold war era, the target was Russia, they just wanted to use Japan as defense line for the non-communist world. Japanese troops were used to protect U.S. troops in the bases. After the cold war, they use it as free transit points for their military strategies. They don't necessarily use Japanese bases unless Japanese government pays the expense. As Colin Powell said, Japan is cheap location for the U.S. military. Just that.

There is actually no American troops that defend our nation. American troops stationed in Japan are mostly supply staff. Not combat ones. The defense for Japanese military has been done by Japanese troops. That is their primary responsibility in the guideline agreed on between the both countries.

We have been fooled by the U.S. telling Japan should pay the expense for the bases in exchange for the security of the country. The money we've paid for were never used for our defense but used just to save the expense for the U.S. military. Not only that they never protected our country, but also they polluted our land and rape and kill civilians and bringing deadly weapon, Nuclear carrier that can nuke the whole capital region.

One more outrageous thing is the U.S. bases financially supported by Japanese tax payers may have been used for covert missions by CIA and NSA. What is their target? Russia or China? No. Japan. To steal technologies from Japan.

Wow! They are Trojan Horses. Just stop paying that money to them.

The two countries are at war in Japan land. What we have to do is get them out of our land. They have become very dangerous neighbors. I can't trust America and Americans any more.

"Yankees, go home!"   

The United State Ambassador to Japan, J. Thomas Schieffer
Embassy of the United States of America
1-10-5 Akasaka
Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420

Member of "Boycott on American goods to protest USS "George Washinton" deployment on Yokosuka base" Association

Declaration of "Boycott on American goods to protest USS "George Washinton" deployment on Yokosuka base"


Dear Sir,

American-Japanese relations have already existed for more than 150 years. Along the way there was a war between the two countries, but in the post-war period I believe that good relations have been fairly consistently maintained. In recent days however, an incident has taken place which is shaking up this relationship; it is the deployment of the nuclear aircraft carrier the USS George Washington from August 2008 to the American military base in Yokosuka city, which is not that far away from the capital city, Tokyo. The deployment of this kind of aircraft carrier so as to make its home port within Japanese territory is unprecedented and a warship which is stacked with nuclear reactors is in a manner of speaking a nuclear power plant floating on the sea.

The American Navy has asserted that the nuclear aircraft carrier is safe, but a number of objective pieces of information have proved that its deployment in the national capital region presents a significant danger. For citizens living in the capital region and for the Japanese people, it is very difficult to allow this to happen. I believe it is well known that in Japan confidence in nuclear power itself is comparatively lower than in your country, and recently due to an earthquake the world’s largest nuclear power plant has continued to have operations suspended. Additionally, trust in the American troops stationed in Japan themselves has also fallen due to the deterioration of the environment as well as legal order in surrounding areas. No matter what justification is made by your country’s government, it will not be persuasive. Essentially the American troops stationed in Japan are in a position to protect the lives and property of the Japanese people, but I feel very angry by the fact that they have increased the danger to the lives of Japanese citizens.
 
Therefore, I appeal to the governments of the United States and Japan to stop the establishment of a home port for the nuclear aircraft carrier. Since an agreement has already been reached between both countries’ governments, obviously I realize that it cannot be easily overturned; the purpose of this correspondence is not only to pass on my protests however, but also to notify that until efforts to create a home port are canceled, I will expand the movement to reject the purchasing of American goods.
 
While these actions are those of an individual, in order for them to be not simply my own, everyone will make an appeal in order to have a larger number of people participate. Therefore an association called “BOYCOTT ON AMERICAN GOODS TO PROTEST USS "GEORGE WASHINGTON”deployoment on Yokosuka base" was established. Basically it will be a movement for individuals to not purchase American goods or goods which are involved with American capital from within their consumer spending capabilities. It is a call to not only stop buying American products, but also to withdraw funds from accounts at American capital banks, cancel insurance plans, and stop using restaurants and amusement parks. Action will also be taken to not watch American movies at the theatres or on DVD.

You may think that developing a movement to boycott goods in response to the problem surrounding a nuclear aircraft carrier is peculiar, but it is not any different from the boycott on Japanese goods in protest of Japanese whaling in the Antarctic Ocean. If the unreasonable treatment the government of the United States is giving to the Japanese people is considered, as a Japanese person I believe the desire to stop buying goods which have to do with America is a natural sentiment. Of course, this movement is not being carried out with the intention of slandering individual Americans who are living in Japan. The target of this protest is strictly the American government’s decision at this time to establish a home port for the nuclear aircraft carrier.

After the USS George Washington has arrived in Japan in August, I believe that the movement will not stop and naturally the boycott will be expanded. I am sure you are aware that while the carrier is anchored, even without an accident occurring higher levels of radioactivity than usual have been detected. No matter how much the navy denies its connection with the aircraft carrier, it has spread around Japan as a piece of dangerous news in the blink of an eye, and has without a doubt resulted in an increase in distrust against not only the American troops stationed in Japan but also against the American government and the country as a whole. The establishment of a home port for the nuclear aircraft carrier will result its long-term anchoring meaning that that mistrust will earnestly grow, and a warship which bears the name of one of your country’s founding fathers will be considered as a “third atomic bomb” to the Japanese people. This is the extent to which harm will be done to citizens’ sentiments.
This event is the biggest crisis which has faced bilateral relations since the end of the Second World War. It will greatly affect not only military exchanges, but also economic and cultural ones.

Please do not forget that citizens, in addition to political institutions, are important players in the diplomatic process today. This is like "Declaration of Independence" by Japanese citizens.

Sincerely,

 

Please also read this article to know more about the meaning of this movement.

The American aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which is scheduled to enter and set anchor in Yokosuka base near Tokyo this year in August, uses highly concentrated uranium fuel and is, in a manner of speaking, “a nuclear reactor floating on the sea”. A nuclear power plant generates electricity by creating steam which turns turbines, whereas a nuclear aircraft carrier uses this power to navigate.

While the aircraft carrier is anchored the nuclear reactor is not generating power; during that time however the nuclear reactor must be continuously cooled and if an accident or a disaster such as an earthquake were to render the cooling process impossible, a catastrophe caused by the core melting down is capable of occurring. In such a case, the damage caused would cover the entire national capital region. In addition to a large number of people losing their lives, the region would also likely be transformed into an area similar to Chernobyl , where people will not be able to live for centuries to come. For the people living in the capital region, this cannot be allowed.

The American Navy insists that the aircraft carrier is “safe”, in spite of the fact it won’t release information regarding the structure of the nuclear reactor due to military secrecy. This kind of talk makes complete fools of the Japanese people.

While I was thinking about this, I was casually watching an American movie one day when something occurred to me. The movie was a good one, but I couldn’t help getting irritated by the fact that the country where it was produced was trying to bring a “third atomic bomb” into our country’s capital city. Probably because of this, I stopped enjoying the movie and turned it off halfway through. In addition, I can’t help but detest all things that project the image of America . I once studied in the United States , but even so, when I think of the “American military superpower” insensitively bringing in a nuclear aircraft carrier for its own national interests, I just become disgusted. Of course, the Japanese government who “nobly” accepted this situation is also cowardly and irritating.

I thought about whether there was anything I could do. In Yokosuka signatures are being collected to hold a local referendum. In addition, a lawsuit has been filed requesting the suspension of the dredging work which is being done in the harbor in order for the aircraft carrier to anchor. However, these measures are surely not suitable to overcome what has already been decided between the two countries’ respective governments. However I think there is something that can be done at an individual level, and moreover, which involves a greater number of people: the act of not buying American goods.

Naturally our everyday lives are filled with American goods including computer softwares I am using, yet we must try as hard as we can to not buy them. I have immediately stopped watching American movies. I am going to withdraw my funds from an American capital bank (Shinsei bank owned by Ripplewood), cancel my insurance (Aflac), naturally I’m going to stop eating at fast food restaurants (McDonald’s) and family restaurants (Denny’s), stop going to amusement parks (Disney Land) and do as much as possible from what’s available.

There are some companies who simply borrow American copyrights while conducting their business through Japanese capital; however since they invoke the image of America , they must also become subjects of the boycott. By making this kind of proposal, there will likely be a lot of criticism stating that political and military affairs are being confused with commerce. However if citizens do not display their will through these kinds of means, then there is little chance that they will be able to alter this urgent situation. This is the same as the boycott movement that occurred on Japanese goods amongst Americans who were opposed to the Japanese invasion of China in the lead-up to the Second World War.

As is well known, individuals are free to decide which goods to buy and which goods not to buy. From America’s point of view, economic relations with Japan are more significant than military ones. You could even say that America is quite reliant on good economic relations with Japan . In addition, the Japanese government is paying expenses for the American troops stationed in Japan in what it designates an “omoiyari yosan (Simpathy budget)”, or which the U.S. calls “host nation support”.

I would also like to suggest the following. Since the anxiety caused by the upcoming permanent deployment of the nuclear aircraft carrier is going to lead to emotional distress and pain, citizens should sue the American navy and its affiliates. It’s not a matter of winning the lawsuit or not. This kind of action would be done to show that citizens are making a stand. If it is recognized that a large number of citizens approve of the boycott on American goods, then they will be forced to deal with the issue. A boycott circle should be symbolically created. If the government doesn’t work, individual citizens will likely be able to provide in its stead.

The Cold War is already over, and I do not believe the presence of American troops has the same significance on security that it once did. Recently, troops are only being used for the American militaristic strategy including invasion of Iraq . There is considerable room for negotiation. We individuals, as well as the government, must work on cooling off the “Simpathy budget”.

Nevertheless, many Japanese have remained uninterested even though the thought of their country’s capital city facing the threat of radioactivity should leave them restless. A military ally which is supposed to protect Japan could cause it massive destruction. It’s truly humiliating. In reality, it’s being said that the American government also fears the problem of the Japanese people’s sentiments towards the upcoming deployment of the nuclear aircraft carrier. It’s also being said that the names given to other aircraft carriers could bring back images of the atomic bomb, which is why the USS “George Washington” was chosen.

While I was studying in the United States however, I was told the following by a Afro-American: “Washington was a hypocrite who was advocating liberty while at the same time owning slaves”. This kind of view also exists. The USS George Washington, as well as the soon-to-be decommissioned standard warship USS Kitty Hawk have both borrowed the name of liberty while being used in a hypocritical aggressive war. Let’s stop lending our land out with such ease to the United States . Isn’t it time that we establish the trend of starting to take a greater responsibility for the defense of our own country? Before saying that the government is unreliable, it’s time that individuals think of how their actions are able to change the principles of politics and diplomacy.

The above is translation of this Japanese article posted on Japan's most famous independent citizen media.

The below is related post. Please also read this.

Do not bring third atomic bomb to our capital.

P.S. I urge American people to boycott Toshiba products because the company received orders to build several nuclear power plants on the U.S. soil.

I recently heard very, very surprising news that the U.S. navy has decided to station nuclear aircraft carrier, George Washington in Yokosuka city, which is 2 hour train ride from the capital of Japan, Tokyo. In fact it was agreed more than 3 years ago between the U.S. and Japanese governments.

Outrageous and stupid! Japanese government allowed that happen. How ignorant they are!

We are paying so much money to the U.S. military. The government have to let them not to do what we hate.

 Nuclear aircraft carrier is so dangerous. They've made some radioactive leaking accidents in the past.

The carrier will be stationed there permanently, we will have to live with the danger for half a year long every year.

If the worst thing happens in the Yokosuka, people living in the capital area would be required to evacuate, 30 million people have to leave! No way!  Impossible! Millons of people would die after the accicent by cancers. It is like 3rd atomic bomb after Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Local residents near Yokosuka navy base are suing the government not to construct pier to station the carrier. Since the carrier is US navy's property and its operation information is highly classified, we would never know how actually the inner nuclear reactor is operated nor intervene their operation. Even an accident happens, the U.S. government would not take any responsibility nor compensate for the damage because US-Japan Status of Force Agreement stated so.   

It is time Japan rethinks the militaristic relationship with the U.S. We cannot get along with the U.S. navy's policy.

They made us help invade innocent Iraq.

We, ourselves have to realize the only military that can protect our country is ours. We have to amend the constitution so that we can have full-fledged military force so that we do not have to rely on the U.S. military any more.

Please read this article NUCLEAR CARRIER UNWELCOME on Japan Times. Yokusuka base is only 20 miles away from Japan's capital, Tokyo. This is just outrageous!  U.S. government has to know this would just threaten relationship between the two countries. I became very anti-US person after I hear this news. A lot of us would be.

God damn America! Yankees, GO HOME!

Japan has many, many earthquakes. As you know what happened in Niigata Prefecture, major earthquake and casualties like that can be seen once or twice every year. It is like annual events of our country. This earthquake caused 10 casualties but the most serious thing in fact is nuclear plant, Kashiwazaki-kariwa built in this area caught a fire and was partially destructed. See the pictures.

The plant now stopped the operation for examination. It will take a year to recover and reoperate. But I hope it would not restart operating forever.

Can't believe the plant is on such dangerous area. In fact nowhere in Japan is suitable for the nuclear power plant. Japan is earthquake land.

Proponets of the nuclear energey claim Japan lacks natural resources, so we have no choice but to rely on nuclear energey. About 30% of power comes from nuclear energey. But the risk for the accident is so huge. In fact, we've already had tens of accidents. Several plant workers died. One town was closed for days because of the radiation leak. This time we had small radiation leak to the air and the ocean.

Japan can invent, and develop alternative energey like windpower and solar energey. We have the technology. But politicians are reluctant because they are heavily influenced by major power plant corporations and their union workers. The media is reluctant to report such issues because their major sponsors are power plant corporations. It is like NBC owned by GE.

This is not just Japan's problem. Like Three Mile and Chernobyl, the damage would be worldwide. Even after the accident, many residents living close to the plants are dying every year.

We can develop alternative and safe energey sources and we can even change our lifestyle to reduce our energey consumption.

 Tokyo Electric Power Corporation which owns the Kashiwazaki-kariwa plant announced Tokyo will face energey shortage because of the temporary shutdown. The company requests us to save energey to keep up the reduced supply.

As a citizen of Tokyo, I welcome that. If we can go through this year with less energey supply, that proves we do not need the shutdown plant and make this temporary shutdown permanent one. After that, we can make new movement to abondon the nuclear power plants nationwide and then worldwide.

 NO MORE NUCLEAR ENERGEY!. This is the way our world should go!