U.S. nuclear sub arrives in Japan without notice
November 11th, 2008 by James
An American nuclear submarine made a port call in Okinawa yesterday without having provided prior notification to Japan:
The USS Providence arrived in the White Beach Naval Facility on the southern island of Okinawa on Monday without prior notice, a requirement under a bilateral agreement, and stayed there for two hours, the ministry said.
“It is extremely regrettable that a U.S. submarine visited one of our ports without proper advance notice,” the ministry said in a statement. “The United States must notify our government at least 24 hours before its nuclear submarines visit our ports.”
The American embassy has since apologized for the incident and explained that Japan was not notified due to a communications error.
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Wow, an American sub goes to an American Navel Base – QUICK EVERYONE PANIC.
I’d worry more when a Chinese or Russian or N Korean sub arrives unexpected.
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If there wasn’t an agreement in the first place, I’d agree making an issue out of this is pretty ridiculous.
But there is one (not debating the legitimacy of it for now), so America is the one that broke the rules concerning giving a heads up on moving strategic weapons into another country’s domain, even if the naval base itself is technically America’s little haven.
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And it wouldn’t be an issue at all if America hadn’t given Okinawa back to Japan in 1972. (or thereabouts)
Someone forgot to send a message, or maybe the sub’s comm gear was out of whack and thus they couldn’t call ahead anyway. But they couldn’t really go ahead and tell the papers “Our subs sometimes lose communications” that would be a little fireball of news and outrage. “OMFG! Your NUCLEAR subs sometimes have comm trouble?! What if…. failsafe scenario…armageddon…someone pushing buttons by mistake…etc.etc.”
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This is about as serious as Emporer Akihito’s wartime crimes against Korea.
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I wonder what the American reaction would be if it were the opposite way.
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I’d think all of the construction equipment building the Japanese Naval base on American soil would give them a hint.
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I don’t think the US would allow a foreign country to set its military bases on US soil.
Therefore, the opposite you mention is not bound to happen.
On the other hand why would the US need to respect bilateral agreements? They are here to export their democracy, don’t bother them with futile, useless agreements. heh.
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