Japan agrees to harbor (port) US Nuclear Powered carrier

Saw this just today

AP via yahoo News said:

WASHINGTON - United States and Japanese officials have agreed to allow the Navy to station a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in Japan for the first time, the Navy announced Thursday.

Though American troops have been based in Japan since the end of World War II, the Japanese public has long been wary of a U.S. nuclear presence because of concerns about possible radiation leaks. The decision comes 60 years after the United States brought the war to an end by dropping atomic bombs on a pair of Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"The security environment in the Western Pacific region increasingly requires that the U.S. Navy station the most capable ships forward," the Navy said in a statement. The deployment of the carrier, the Navy said, will "fulfill the U.S. government's commitment to the defense of Japan, and the maintenance of international peace and security in the Far East."

Nuclear-powered warships have visited Japanese ports more than 1,200 times since 1964. The Navy said the United States has provided firm commitments to the government of Japan regarding the safe use of Japanese ports by the nuclear powered warships, and it pledged to observe strictly all safety precautions and procedures.

This is the second deal to come to light this week between the two governments, in advance of high-level meetings Friday and Saturday at the Pentagon between U.S. Defense and State Department officials and Japanese military and foreign ministers. On Wednesday, U.S. officials struck a deal with Japan to build a heliport at an American base in Okinawa

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This is pretty big news. The USS Kitty Hawk followed the USS Independence in being forward deployed to Japan in 1998, which itself had replaced the USS Midway there in 1991. Now a nuclear carrier will apparently follow: No mention as to which CVN at this point. Here's a couple of pics of the Kitty Hawk.





There is continuing talk in the US about forward deploying a second carrier to WESTPAC.

I'm very elated with this news Jeff. It's just a matter of which CVN will be homeported in Yokosuka.

This ship will be a replacement for the Kitty Hawk. Nothing more, nothing less.

One more thing Jeff you posted;

This is pretty big news. The USS Kitty Hawk followed the USS Midway in being forward deployed to Japan

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Actually Jeff it was the USS Indpendence CV-62 that replaced the Midway in Japan. The turnover was in Hawaii on 11 September 1991. The Kitty Hawk then replaced the Independence on 11 August ,1998.

bd popeye said:

I'm very elated with this news Jeff. It's just a matter of which CVN will be homeported in Yokosuka. This ship will be a replacement for the Kitty Hawk. Nothing more, nothing less. One more thing Jeff, attually Jeff it was the USS Indpendence CV-62 that replaced the Midway in Japan. The turnover was in Hawaii on 11 September 1991. The Kitty Hawk then replaced the Independence on 11 August ,1998.

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Thanks, I will correct that historical note immediately. I too am glad to see this.

Jeff Have you ever seen this pic of the Midway and Indy turning over crews in Pearl Harbor? Check out these link for great Midway pics;

bd popeye said:

Check out these link for great Midway pics

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Thanks popeye. That is one GREAT site!

The Midway was (and is) an amazing vessel. Commissioned in World War II, the US Navy and its aricraft carrier expertise took this great WW II carrier commissioned in 1945:





...and turend her into this modern carrier that was then used until 1992, 47 year service life.

Yes Jeff and anyone else that will read this thread I was a Midway sailor for just one year. Aug.'73 'till Aug. '74. The Midway while not my favorite ship was certainly capable until the day she was decomissioned. Although 47 years old the Midway made 32 knots on her final sea trial to determine her de-comm status.

This excerpt is taken from the USS Midway history page;



""As part of her decommissioning preparation, the Navy sent out a Board of Inspection and Survey team to assess the ship's material condition and evaluate her capabilities. To perform this inspection, the ship got underway for one last time on September 24, 1991. On this day, the ship successfully completed a rigorous series of tests, including full-power sea trials. Midway trapped and launched her last aircraft that day, with the honor falling to Commander, Carrier Air Wing Fourteen, Captain Patrick Moneymaker, flying an F/A-18 Hornet. At the completion of the day's events, Midway headed for home at 32 knots. Despite her age and imminent decommissioning, the inspection team found Midway fully operational and fit for continued service, a testimonial to the men who maintained the ship throughout her many years. At the end of her career, Midway's last embarked flag officer, Rear Admiral Joseph W. Prueher noted, Midway had "sprinted across the finish line.""

Jeff that Midway site is the best of any retired CV. Only the one for the Coral Sea comes close.

When the Midway was decomissioned at NAS North Island on April 11th, 1992 I stood there with several thousand folks. On that day I saw grown men cry for that ship.

The USS Midway CV-41 is now a musuem in downtown San Diego CA. Despite "liberals " predicting failure for the musuem the Midway drew 880,000 visitors it's first year. More than any other maritime musuem in the US except fot the USS Arizona & USS Missouri memorial in Pearl Harbor HA.

bd popeye said:

The USS Midway CV-41 is now a musuem in downtown San Diego CA. Despite "liberals " predicting failure for the musuem the Midway drew 880,000 visitors it's first year. More than any other maritime musuem in the US except fot the USS Arizona & USS Missouri memorial in Pearl Harbor HA.

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...and well deserved. She and her crew protected their nation for so long, it is only fitting that that same nation protect her now.

I only wish that another carrier, CV-6, the most decorated US ship of World War II, had also been so protected. Oh well...we do have the Midway from that same era through today. What a amazing vessel the Midway is.