U.S. flattop calls at Sasebo port

NAGASAKI (Kyodo) The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Reagan made a port call Monday at the U.S. Navy base in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture.

In the navy: The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Reagan arrives Monday at Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture. KYODO PHOTO

The 102,000-ton Reagan is the 10th nuclear-powered carrier to arrive in Sasebo since the Enterprise stopped there in 1968, drawing huge protests by local people and others opposed to nuclear-powered warships visiting Japan.

According to the city of Sasebo, which was informed by the Foreign Ministry of the port call, the Reagan is to take on supplies and give its crew rest. It is scheduled to leave around noon Friday.

Local labor organizations and others opposed to the visit staged demonstrations aboard some 20 fishing boats, while about 75 people gathered on high ground to protest the carrier's port entry.

"The U.S. forces are trying to create an accomplished fact of (nuclear-powered) carriers coming and going freely. We must prevent Sasebo from being made a quasi-home port (for nuclear-powered vessels)," a protester said.

The port call is the second at Sasebo by the Reagan, which first visited in February 2007.

The Nimitz, another nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, called at Sasebo in February, making it the first time in 25 years for U.S. nuclear aircraft carriers to visit the port twice in a one-year period.

Sentiment against nuclear vessels is particularly strong in Nagasaki as it and Hiroshima were devastated by U.S. atomic bombs during World War II.

The Reagan, with 4,266 crew members aboard, left its home port of San Diego in May, engaged in relief activities for the cyclone-hit Philippines and arrived in Sasebo via South Korea.