Get your ticket to GaijinPot Expo 2024
The U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington returned to the Yokosuka base near Tokyo on Friday, its second deployment to Japan, in a show of the Navy's continuing presence in the region.
The George Washington was previously based in Kanagawa Prefecture from 2008, when it became the first U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier to be forward-deployed to Japan before being relieved by the Ronald Reagan in 2015.
"A U.S. carrier represents the most advanced maritime capability we have, and it's the most advanced investment we can make in the security of Japan and of the Western Pacific," Vice Adm Fred Kacher, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, said in a statement.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel told reporters that the presence of the George Washington and F-35 fighter jets stationed on the aircraft carrier significantly enhances U.S. deterrence in the region.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier departed the San Diego area in California in early October for a seven-week transit to Japan, following a major overhaul in Virginia.
"The George Washington returns with modernized, cutting-edge technology that represents our investment in deterrence and security in this region," Kacher said.
In November, the ship and its aviation arm, Carrier Strike Group 5, took part in a joint exercise with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the South Korean military in the East China Sea and its vicinity, amid nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.
Safety and environment concerns linger among residents of Yokosuka, where the 7th Fleet, the largest forward-deployed American fleet, is also headquartered.
The Kanagawa prefectural government gives out information about port visits by U.S. nuclear-powered vessels and radiation measurement data around the port to the public on its official website.
© KYODO
39 Comments
Login to comment
TaiwanIsNotChina
That photo says Freedom.
JJE
This photo says lack of sovereignty.
US should give them back their land they stole under occupation, including the base pictured there.
Anyone will "sign" anything with a gun to their head when made an offer they can't refuse.
Falco1
That photo says colonialism.
Zaphod
TaiwanIsNotChina
"Freedom" like in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Libya, Northern Syria, and the other places that the US has enriched with their democracy-building military adventures?
Fighto!
Yes - and we are seeing it also antagonizes and upsets those who support Communist China.
So, it's a win-win!
Wasabi
That photo says "Not My Country".
JJE
It's yet more confirmation - if we already didn't know - that Tokyo is not ready or mature enough to be taken seriously on the global stage of international diplomacy. It's basically locked in a master-serf relationship; a legacy of being coerced into servitude, under duress, during the occupation. Even the current PM spouts nonsense about "confronting" a US president, when no such event has ever occurred; in reality he will be just as obsequious.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Not at all. Japan could choose to develop its rightful nuclear weapons but chooses not to.
TaiwanIsNotChina
He says while demanding Japan accept the unequal theft of territory by russia.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Yup. Iraq and Kosovo aren't doing too bad these days. Afghanistan decided they didn't like modernity. Who knows what will happen with Syria and Libya.
Peter14
What a fine looking ship. Wish my country had a couple.
That photo say "solid commitment to an ally".
Jaswinder Sandhu
I don't get one thing yet, why Japan/Nippon would allow US bases in its country when they are the ones who destroyed your Hiroshima & Nagasaki with their nuclear arsenal? I don't think intelligent Japanies are with the dumb decision makers on this. Japan has been leading the world in Science, Technology and general wisdom as far as I understand; but what is this bowing to the "bully" of the world? Why? Can someone answer this question please?
Coulda been
@ Jaswinder Sandhu 7.52pm
And what was the alternative to Hiroshima and Nagasaki? The mass slaughter on both sides if the U.S. were forced to invade the mainland? The writing was on the wall early days that the conflict would not end well for Japan. Blind faith kept believing the opposite.
JJE
He is not debating the war (although those two dubious bombings were appalling).
He is, however, posing the legitimate question of why postwar Japan was, is and continues to be a supplicant to US empire.
One answer, apart from the coercion and duress outlined above, is the Tokyo ruling class have a geopolitical Stockholm Syndrome. Also they are comfortable with the postwar US-imposed "democracy", which is in effect a one-party state operating under the illusion of said system.
Zaphod
TaiwanIsNot
Good grief. Is that hamfisted attempt at sarcasm, or are you serious?
Except after 20 years of misguided military adventure, the Taliban are sitting on a mountain of your military hardware. And remember, the mess would not even exist if Ronald Reagan had not made he idiotic decision to arm the Mujaheddin with stingers back then.
Who knows what will happen anywhere. What is happening now is that what was Africas most developed country has been bombed back to the stone-age thanks to Obama/Clinton. They have slave markets in Libya now! And in Syria, the US is illegally occupying the Northern oil fields and stealing the countries oil. Yeah, go on praise this kind of democracy building.
Spartan J
In todays world, no one wants war/conflicts. Don't be afraid of your own shadow. Its all red herring, created/manufactured by some as justification/excuses, lame, to continue their "presence"/colon......... . Reclaim your sovereignty. Talk/discuss/etc to those around your neighborhood, those that have a stake.
Haaa Nemui
When you consider that it was the Soviets that ultimately forced Japan’s current relationship with the U.S., complaints here about the U.S. occupation just look like sour grapes. Funny really.
quercetum
This is good. No war in Asia. Focus on trade and development.
quercetum
So true. The Soviets understandably have a right to seek revenge and did so by taking the islands in the north from Japan and be the reason US has its military in Japan.
Japan loses the Northern Territories and can’t completely free itself from the US military. I’d say the Soviets have well avenged their defeat in the war.
Haaa Nemui
Ohhhh... so THAT'S why they still complain so much about it.
dutch
Translation; "Asian people are immature, little people still of the jungle who don't know what's best for their own good and are to be pitied"
Ive said it a thousand times before and I'll say it again;
Leftists are the most racist people on the planet and 2nd place isn't even close.
funkymofo
Yeah, that’s why you see nazi, kkk, confederate flags at liberal rallies- oh, wait a minute…
Mr Kipling
What an enormous target for hypersonic missiles if ever the proxy war becomes a "real" war.
Noone1
@ Jaswinder Sandhu, The US is not an occupier in Japan. Only way you could say that is you don't live in Japan. They are a free and sovereign nation. The US is an crucial ally and deterent from other nefarious Players like North Korea and China who might wish to settle old scores. In case you didn't know. Japan was very ruthless and fearless leading up to WW2, invading many countries like China, Korea, the Phillipines etc, too many to list. I suggest read up so you can better understand better.
dutch
thats right. You see them at conservative rallies....carried by racist liberals.
Geoff Gillespie
@ TaiwanIsNotChina
Not all all. Japan's 'pacifist' constitution allows it to hide under the US security umbrella and therefore it DOESN'T NEED its own nuclear deterrent. Can you name another country in the world that is reliant on another one for its security? Japan has sat on the bench for too long, time for it to join the game.
quercetum
The U.S. nuclear carrier Donald J. Trump returns into Yokosuka base after peace keeping mission.
Americans will owe a lot to him once they realize he is helping to scrape the oligarchical barnicles from the backs of Americans.
funkymofo
Bahahaha not even you believe that.
Geoff Gillespie
I honestly never realised that this board was populated by so many conservative Americans. The comments here have been extremely enlightening. If those that have posted the more questionable comments here are actually serious, I don't think I belong here. My bad, I suppose.
dutch
Bahaha?
The entire world knows that leftist scum go to anything seen as "right wing" (ie right of Karl Marx) and wave whatever nazi flag they have in their basement. Oldest trick in the book.
Leftists absolutely loathe minorities.
you see them as something to be scraped off your shoe.
funkymofo
Fantasist.
wallace
More of the right-wing double dutch.
Peter Neil
yes, japan does not have nuclear weapons.
i think it’s naive to think japan doesn’t have nuclear weapons parts lying in close formation.
StevieJ
I see the tankies and Russian bots are out in force in the comments today.
dutch
i smell depends
funkymofo
Probably time your caregiver hosed you down then.
dutch
well someone on here does!
Just as soon as his food is pulverized into an edible mush for him to swallow!
funkymofo
That's it? At least we know you write your own material, I guess.
dutch
no, there more, funkymofo.
He smells like wood chips.
Every man past the age of 80 does..
Fos
Japan and the Asian continent as a whole do not need the warmongering attitude which comes with the United States of America. I think we all agree on that . What is happening in Eastern Europe and the Middle East cannot be repeated