Yokosuka mayor urges Pentagon to give up plan to deploy nuke carrier

Crisscross - News - Yokosuka mayor urges Pentagon to give up plan to deploy nuke carrier: "Yokosuka mayor urges Pentagon to give up plan to deploy nuke carrier

Thursday, December 22, 2005 at 09:49 EST

WASHINGTON ? Visiting Yokosuka Mayor Ryoichi Kabaya directly urged the U.S. Defense Department on Wednesday to abandon the Navy's decision to deploy a nuclear-powered carrier in his city to replace the retiring conventional flattop Kitty Hawk.

After his meeting with acting U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, Kabaya said, 'I did not get any positive response...and realized the Navy's solid stance' to proceed with its decision made in October. But Kabaya said he will continue to oppose the decision 'as long as there is a possibility for a conventional carrier to be deployed' at the Yokosuka naval base, referring to the recent move in the U.S. Congress to keep the only other remaining conventional flattop, the John F Kennedy, on active duty."