In Japan, 14 U.S. sailors face discipline over drug use.

YOKOHAMA, Japan _ Fourteen crewmen of the USS Kittyhawk aircraft carrier have received or are to receive disciplinary action for violating military drug laws by using ecstacy and other illegal narcotics, The Yomiuri Shimbun learned Tuesday.

The revelation comes after 32 sailors stationed on U.S. guided missile cruisers USS Chancellorsville and USS Vincennes were punished for use of stimulant drugs, cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy.

Seven sailors stationed aboard the aircraft carrier, which has been based out of Yokosuka Naval Base since 1998, have already received their punishments _ ranging from cuts in pay to being discharged from the service.

Punitive measures will likely be meted out to another seven shortly.

More than 60 other members from the crew of almost 5,500 aboard the Kittyhawk also have been implicated in the use of illegal narcotics, leading officials to investigate, further reinforcing the public's image of the U.S. Navy base as being rife with drugs.

Suspicion of a drug problem aboard the carrier came in spring during a surprise inspection, a source said. Several crew members were reported to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service after urine tests showed positive for drug use.

By autumn, a joint investigation into the matter between NCIS and Kanagawa prefectural police showed 14 personnel had abused narcotics.