More Details

SLIDESHOW | images | 231012-N-UD469-1003 WASHINGTON (Oct. 12, 2023) - The Honorable Erik K. Raven, Under Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Katsuaki Kamiji, Mayor of Yokosuka, Japan, and Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti meet for an office call at the Pentagon, Oct. 12. The leaders discussed the strong partnership between the Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the United States’ commitment to the defense of Japan during the visit. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Amanda R. Gray/released)

The Honorable Erik K. Raven, Under Secretary of the Navy, and Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met with the mayor of Yokosuka, Japan, the Honorable Katsuaki Kamiji, today to thank Mayor Kamiji for Yokosuka’s longstanding history of hosting U.S. Navy assets in the U.S. Seventh Fleet.

The leaders discussed the strong partnership between the Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the United States’ commitment to the defense of Japan.

Raven, Franchetti, and Kamiji shared their thoughts on the importance of Allied naval presence in the Indo-Pacific, as well as security and stability in the region. Yokosuka is the only city in the world with a forward-deployed U.S. aircraft carrier, and both leaders spent time discussing the upcoming hull swap between the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and USS George Washington (CVN 73).

Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka is the largest overseas U.S. naval installation in the world, and serves as the home to U.S. Seventh Fleet.

This was Raven and Franchetti’s first meeting with Mayor Kamiji.