Japanese protest arrival of Stennis

[unhappycamper]

Protestors flying red flags circle the USS John C. Stennis as the aircraft carrier arrives Friday for a visit to Sasebo Naval Base, Japan. Opponents say the carrier represents war and recalls memories of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki during World War II.


Japanese protest arrival of Stennis
By Travis J. Tritten, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, March 1, 2009

SASEBO, Japan — Masato Shinozaki was bobbing in his boat and watching through binoculars when the hulking USS John C. Stennis slowly materialized out of the gray sea mist Friday.

For a moment, the aircraft carrier seemed to be just another of the many islands around the mouth of Sasebo Bay. Then the swarm of news helicopters arrived, circling the carrier like noisy insects.

Shinozaki, a peace advocate and protest organizer with Rimpeace Sasebo, and 25 other boats raced across the ocean to confront the warship with their red flags.

"Carrier get out!" they chanted through megaphones as they circled the aircraft carrier twice.

The band of tiny boats carried Japanese of different vocations and from different areas, but what united them Friday was their opposition to the U.S. military in Japan.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=61035