YOKOSUKA, Japan (AFP)--Residents of the port city of Yokosuka were bracing themselves for the arrival of a controversial U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, with some ready with iodine syrup out of fear of radiation exposure.
The 97,000-ton USS George Washington is set to arrive Thursday in Yokosuka, a naval hub just 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Tokyo, becoming the first U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier based outside the U.S.
"It'll be unprecedented for a nuclear-powered ship to be stationed in such a populated area," said Tamio Eda, part of a civil group which is calling for people to prepare for a possible nuclear accident with iodine syrup.
Iodine syrup is effective in preventing thyroid cancer after exposure to atomic radiation, especially in children.
"The best thing to ensure safety is for the ship not to come here," Eda said. "But since that's not possible, the next thing to do is to prepare for a possible accident."
Despite the public protests in the only nation to have suffered nuclear attack, Japan agreed to accept the George Washington to replace the diesel USS Kitty Hawk, which is being retired from service.
The U.S. argued it must deploy its best carrier to Yokosuka due to East Asia's tense security situation. Japan has been officially pacifist since World War II and hosts more than 40,000 U.S. troops under a security alliance.
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AFP:
http://tinyurl.com/4zl8j3
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