WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye said today he is disappointed that the Base Realignment and Closure Commission has asked Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld why the Pentagon did not recommend that the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard be closed or realigned.

Much of our nation’s security concerns is now focused on the Asia Pacific Region, he said. “It is for that reason that the Navy is planning to increase its forces in the Pacific. Today, the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard provides the support for the ships that are based in the Pacific. As we increase forces in Hawaii and elsewhere in the region, the role of Pearl Harbor will continue to grow,” Senator Inouye explained.

He added: “It is critically important that we do not send a message to potential adversaries in the region that we are lessening our commitment to the [Asia Pacific] area. Our bases in the Pacific provide the linchpin to demonstrating our resolve. No base is more important to supporting our forces in the region than the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.”

Senator Inouye said he will work with the Hawaii Congressional Delegation, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Navy to ensure that the Base Realignment and Closure Commission understands the importance of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard to our nation’s security.

The following is a detailed statement that the Senator issued today regarding the Commission’s recommendation:

“Today we were advised that the Base Realignment and Closure Commission has notified the Department of Defense that it will examine the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard as a candidate for base closure. I am disappointed that the Commission has decided to review Pearl Harbor, because we in Hawaii recognize the critical importance of Pearl Harbor to the Navy and our national security. Nonetheless, I am confident that after the Commission’s review, they will agree that Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard must remain open to meet our security requirements.

“As we proceed to respond to any questions that the Commission may ask over the coming weeks, we will try to make several points about the importance of Pearl Harbor to our country’s future.

“First, the Defense Department in its recommendations to the Base Closure Commission recognized the critical importance of the Asia Pacific Region. It is for that reason that the Navy is planning to increase its forces in the Pacific. Today, the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard provides the support for the ships that are based in the Pacific. As we increase forces in Hawaii and elsewhere in the region, the role of Pearl Harbor will continue to grow.

“Second, many experts have noted that in the foreseeable future, the one area of the world which could require our military attention is the Pacific. We face a belligerent dictator in Kim Jong Il in North Korea. We have terrorist organizations in several countries in the Asia Pacific region that could jeopardize regional stability. And we know the only country that has the potential to engage us in the near future as a superpower is China.

“The vastness of the Pacific has always made it an area where the Navy was the key power. The ships of the Pacific Fleet are dedicated to maintaining peace and stability in the region. The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard provides the basis to keep the ships operating and ready when needed.

“Third, I have been informed that the Commission has made the recommendation to examine Pearl Harbor because it is dissatisfied with the Defense Department’s justification for closing the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. It is my view that the Portsmouth decision is unrelated to the need for the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

“If the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard were to remain open, the Navy would still need Pearl Harbor to provide the support for the Pacific Fleet. The location of Portsmouth in the Northeastern United States means it is simply geographically ill-equipped to support the ships of the Pacific Fleet.

“Finally, we must all remember lessons from earlier times when we turned our back on the dangers that were arising from the Pacific. It is critically important that we do not send a message to potential adversaries in the region that we are lessening our commitment to the area. Our bases in the Pacific provide the linchpin to demonstrating our resolve. No base is more important to supporting our forces in the region than the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. While I am not pleased that the Commission has made the announcement that it will consider closing the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, I am confident when they review the facts and examine the critical need for the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, they will recognize that it is essential to the Navy, to the Pacific, and to our nation’s security that we maintain this valuable base.”