Lexington (CVA 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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The Alley, crowned with lavish neon lights and deco- rated with crude hand- painted signs of welcome in ujapnishf' oifers every con- ceivable product of the Ori- ent. Paintings from photo- graphs, tape recorders, tran- sistor radios, silk kimonos, coffee cups, cameras, bamboo fishing rods, glassware, china. Half the fun was haggling over price-and even though no one got conned unless they wanted to, most of us did. Situated in the central part of Miura Peninsula, Yoko- suka has a population of 300,000. The city, which Hourished as the naval base of eastern Japan until 1945, is an important trade and fishing center boasting two line harbors-Yokosuka and Nagura. these pictures represent two of Y0k0SUkO'S main industries: watches and crystal glassware. YOKOSUKA exists not for the Japanese or the tourist- but for the US Navy. It is a vain imitation of the West- ern world offering entertain- ment and relief from the monotony of the Pacific. Thieves Alley sits right out- side the Base, getting there is simplicity itself: down the torii of adventure fthe browj, a two minute trip in a kamikaze cab, and a stop at the yen exchange and you are all set. l never mind why granny cioesn't want you to walk clown that street just keep going

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The only fair conclusion about Japan and the japan- ese is that they are just as complex as America and the Americans. Opened by Perry, developed by the Meiji Restoration, a World War One ally, crushed 17 years ago, democracy imposed by MacArthur, the population explosion, the Asian plum in the East-West struggle-such is the amazing island chain oil the China mainland, Japan. Always in our thoughts is this nagging question: What do they think of us? To the children we are a novelty -talking a strange language and taller than papa-san. To those of our own generation We are the example of the American way of life, a pro- duct of a different environ- ment-to be watched and studied. To the middle-aged group, the businessmen, the counterparts of our parents we are the children of the land that defeated the Im- perial Army and Navy- perhaps they themselves wore arms against us. ,W f X Qlybwmm