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The US military will begin storing about 30 ships, barges and towboats at its facility at Yokohama port on Sunday, despite objections by the municipality, Japan's Kyodo News reported on Friday.
The vessels will be stored at the US Army's Yokohama North Dockfor about a year starting from Sunday, the report quoted city officials as saying.
The first five vessels will be carried to the facility on Sunday by a US military transport ship but the military has declined to disclose details about the transportation or the purpose of the storage, it said.
The city authorities have objected to the transport and storageof such ships as it will reinforce the function of the military dock and may lead to making the US military base a permanent one, according to Kyodo.
The city has requested the Japanese Foreign Ministry to urge the US Army to take all possible measures to ensure safety at the facility and the surrounding area.
The Yokohama North Dock is under the control of the US Army andis used for bringing in and sending out military supplies, Kyodo said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2002)
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