NAVY TIMES
Gidget Fuentes

PACOM could evacuate 87k Americans from Japan

Admiral outlines worst-case scenario to move U.S. citizens and military personnel amid radiation concerns

SAN DIEGO — The admiral in charge of all U.S. military forces in the Pacific region said on Thursday the military has developed contingency plans to evacuate 87,000 Americans — including Defense Department personnel — from Japan if the situation deteriorates.

Adm. Robert Willard, who commands U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii, told Pentagon reporters during a press conference Thursday evening that the United States, in a worst-case scenario, would be prepared to evacuate as many as 87,300 U.S. citizens, including military personnel and family members from Tokyo and the surrounding areas. That would include the large naval base in Yokosuka, located south of the capital near the entrance to Tokyo Bay and home to the forward-deployed aircraft carrier George Washington.

“We have developed those plans in order to meet these kinds of capacity requirements, should they be needed,â€