The return of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the Yokosuka naval base in Japan is seen as a sign of deeper American commitment to the Indo-Pacific and efforts to bolster defence ties with Tokyo.
Vice-Admiral Fred Kacher, commander of the US 7th Fleet, on Friday said the USS George Washington was the “greatest maritime investment that we can make in the defence of Japan and the security of the Asia-Pacific”.
The 333-metre vessel, one of 11 carriers in the American fleet, is returning after its departure in 2015. Its absence included a six-year refuelling and overhaul process in the US, during which the USS Ronald Reagan served as the US Navy’s forward-deployed carrier in Japan.
Forward-deployed is a military strategy for maintaining a presence in a foreign country for national interests.
And this latest redeployment reinforces regional alliances forged by the US amid concerns over Beijing’s growing military influence in Asia.
Calling the security environment in the region “increasingly severe”, Japan’s Foreign Ministry in a statement also hailed the “robust presence of the US Navy through the forward-deployment of USS George Washington” as essential to maintaining peace and stability.