YOKOSUKA, Japan: A giant US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrived Thursday in Japan, greeted by thousands of people waving US flags but shunned by many residents concerned about their safety.
The 97,000-ton USS George Washington sailed into Yokosuka, a naval hub 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Tokyo, becoming the first US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be based outside of the United States.
Despite sensitivities 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 mood on the dock was festive with people, mostly Americans, holding balloons and ribbons of red, white and blue. Some 2,000 US military personnel and their families welcomed the ship, according to a military spokesman.
But the ship was not welcome for all. Residents of this port city planned protests against the arrival of the carrier, saying that they feared radiation and crimes by US military personnel.
It is unprecedented for a nuclear-powered ship to be stationed in a densely populated area, according to a civil group which is calling for people to prepare for a possible nuclear accident with iodine syrup.
The United States 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 US troops under a security alliance.
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