As already mentioned, the United States views the Japanese Islands as its unsinkable aircraft carrier and a foothold in the Far East. American military bases in the "Land of the Rising Sun" are of particular value due to their proximity to the Far Eastern borders of Russia and China.
The most important from the point of view of the naval presence of the American facility in Japan is the Yokosuka naval base (United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka). The base has repair and maintenance facilities, technical services and facilities that make it possible to maintain a high degree of combat readiness for the warships of the Seventh Fleet and other US Navy forces operating in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Yokosuka Base is currently the largest strategically important US naval facility in the western Pacific Ocean.
Google Earth Satellite Image: Yokosuka Naval Base
Yokosuka Base is located at the entrance to Tokyo Bay, 65 km south of Tokyo and about 30 km south of Yokohama. It covers an area of about 2.3 km ². In the 19th century, at the request of the Japanese government, the French laid the base in this place, starting in 1874 the construction of a shipyard. In the first half of the 20th century, Yokosuka became one of the main arsenals of the Imperial Japanese Navy. After Japan's surrender in 1945, the base was peacefully occupied by American Marines from the 6th US Marine Division. Since then, the American military presence has only grown here.
Satellite image of Google earth: nuclear-powered aircraft carrier "George Washington" at the Yokosuka naval base
In October 1973, Yokosuka became a permanent forward base for American aircraft carriers. First it was the USS Midway (CV-41) aircraft carrier, then it was replaced by the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), which served until 2008. In October 2008, it was replaced in this role by the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73). In the near future, the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) aircraft carrier is expected to replace the George Washington aircraft carrier.
Satellite image of Google earth: carrier-based fighter-bombers F / A-18E / F at Atsugi airbase
Combat aircraft from aircraft carriers in the Yokosuka naval base use the Atsuga airbase (Naval Air Facility Atsug) for coastal deployment. The airbase is located 7 km from the city of Atsugi. The airfield is home to the carrier-based aircraft of the 5th Aircraft Carrier Wing. F / A-18E / F carrier-based fighter-bombers, EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft, E-2C AWACS aircraft, C-2A transport aircraft and MH-60R helicopters are based here.
Satellite image of Google earth: carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft EA-18G and AWACS E-2C at Atsugi airbase
Atsugi is a co-based airfield, its eastern part is occupied by aircraft of the Japanese Naval Self-Defense Forces, and the western part is at the disposal of the US Navy.
Satellite image of Google earth: carrier-based transport aircraft C-2A at Atsugi airbase
The flagship of the US Seventh Fleet is the Blue Ridge Command Ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19). The Blue Ridge was transferred to the Navy in November 1970 as an amphibious command ship (LCC).
Satellite image of Google earth: the flagship of the Seventh Fleet, the Blue Ridge command ship and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer at the Yokosuka naval base
The Blue Ridge is the oldest deployed ship in the US Navy. In total, two ships of this type were built. The second command ship, Mount Whitney, serves as the flagship of the Sixth Fleet and is assigned to the Italian port of Gaeta.
Satellite image of Google earth: URO destroyers of the "Arlie Burke" type in the Yokosuka naval base
In addition to the aircraft carrier and control ship, three Ticonderoga-class URO cruisers and ten Arlie Burke-class URO destroyers are assigned to the base.
Yokosuku is often visited by nuclear submarines from the Guam Pacific naval base. Despite protests from the Japanese public, warships with nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons on board are regular guests at the piers of the naval base.
Satellite image of Google earth: American nuclear submarine in the Yokosuka naval base
Since the late 1960s, Yokosuka Naval Base has also been home to ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces. Here, in addition to Japanese destroyers, aircraft carriers and submarines are also based. Anti-aircraft cover of the Yokosuka naval base is carried out by the battery of the Patriot complex, located 5 km south-west of the main facilities of the base.
Satellite image of Google earth: Japanese warships in the Yokosuka naval base
In another part of Japan, on the island of Kyushu, there is the US Fleet Activities Sasebo. It is mainly used as a logistics center for multi-purpose amphibious assault ships and a transshipment base for the delivery of goods to the USMC contingent in the Japanese islands.
The naval base at Sasebo was founded in 1883. In 1905, ships of the Japanese fleet under the command of Admiral Togo sailed from Sasebo to participate in the Battle of Tsushima. During World War II, the port was of great importance in supporting the activities of the Imperial Japanese Navy. In August 1945, ships of the United States Marine Corps settled here.
Satellite image of Google earth: American Wasp-class UDC "Bonom Richard" and Whidby-class landing craft "Germantown" in Sasebo
The flagship of the detachment of four landing ships is the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6). There is also a detachment of four US Navy mine-sweeping ships. Currently, Sasebo is a joint home port of minesweepers, USMC landing ships and warships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces.
In the interests of the US ILC aviation, the Iwakuni airbase is used (Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni). Iwakuni airbase, located in the suburbs of the city of the same name, was founded in 1938 as a naval airfield. During the war, the airfield and the nearby oil refinery were heavily bombed. The last B-29 air raid on Iwakuni took place the day before Japan's surrender.
Satellite image of Google earth: aircraft F / A-18E / F at Iwakuni airbase
After the end of the war, the airbase was reconstructed, and the aviation units of the USA, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand were located here. During the Korean War, bombers took off from the Iwakuni runway and launched airstrikes against North Korea. Currently, about 5,000 American troops are serving at the base. In addition to carrier-based fighters, a division of military transport С-130Н and tankers KS-130J is located in Iwakuni. In the near future, 16 F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) fighters are planned to be deployed at the airbase. They should replace the VTOL A / V-8 USMC. For this, the runway strip and base infrastructure are being reconstructed.
In order to smooth out the discontent of a significant part of the Japanese public about the presence of the American military in Japan on a permanent basis, the US authorities regularly hold various kinds of cultural events. So, in 2008, the Airshow took place here on the day of "American-Japanese friendship".
Satellite image of Google earth: aircraft of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces R-3C and EP-3C at Iwakuni airbase
Iwakuni is also used by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. From the runway of the airbase, basic patrol R-3S, EP-3C electronic reconnaissance aircraft and US-2 search and rescue amphibians take to the air.
Satellite image of Google earth: US-2 amphibious aircraft of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces at Iwakuni airbase
American troops and facilities in Japan have good anti-aircraft coverage. In total, fifteen Patriot air defense missile systems have been deployed on the Japanese islands, which in terms of the number of launchers and the density of their placement significantly exceeds the number of S-300PS and S-400 air defense systems in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories. American anti-aircraft batteries in Japan are subordinate to the United States Army.
Satellite image of Google earth: air defense system "Patriot" in the suburbs of Tokyo
Misawa Air Base in the northern part of Honshu Island has been used extensively by the US Army, Air Force and Navy aircraft in the past. The base is at the disposal of the 35th Wing of the United States Air Force (35 WG), armed with F-16C / D fighter-bombers. Currently, most of the American aircraft from the Misawa airbase have been deployed to the Middle East as part of the "global campaign against terrorism." The airfield is partially used by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Satellite image of Google earth: radio electronic center at Misawa airbase
In the northwest of the base there is a large transmitting and receiving center with a large-scale antenna field. According to the official version, it is intended for communication purposes and receiving information from American satellites. According to other information, the facility at the base in Misawa is part of the US intelligence system ECHELON.
Yokota Air Base is located adjacent to residential areas in the Tokyo suburb of Fussa. The base has a runway with a length of 3500 meters, and it is possible to receive aircraft of all types. It employs about 13,000 people.
The airbase was built in 1940 and was used as a flight test center. After the end of hostilities and the surrender of Japan, military transport C-47s were transferred to the base that was not affected by air raids. In August 1946, the airbase was reconstructed, after which B-24 bombers were placed in Yokota. During the Korean War, F-82F / G fighters, RB-29, RB-45, RB-50 and RB-36 reconnaissance aircraft, as well as B-29 bombers were based here. After the end of the Korean War, the RF-80, RF-84S, and RF-101S, the 67th Reconnaissance Wing, and the F-86, the 35th Fighter Wing, were in Yokota from 1955 to 1960. In 1961, the Sabers replaced F-100 fighters and F-102 interceptors. From 1965 to 1975, the B-52, F-4 and F-105 heading to Vietnam passed through the airbase. Since 1975, the airbase has become the home base for military transport squadrons.
In 2005, the Japanese government announced that the Air Self-Defense Force headquarters would be relocated to Yokota. Also, the regional authorities are seeking the transfer of part of the airbase for civil air transportation, in their opinion, this could help in solving the transport problem during the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.
Satellite image of Google earth: C-130H at Yokota airbase
On a permanent basis, military transport aircraft C-130N of the 36th air transport squadron (36 AS) and helicopters UH-1N and C-12J of the 374th air transport squadron are deployed in Yokota, but often at the airport you can see military transport C-5B and S-17, as well as tanker aircraft KS-135R and KS-46A. In addition, civilian airliners contracted for the transportation of American troops and cargo regularly land at the airbase.
Satellite image of Google earth: military transport C-17 and tanker KS-46A at Yokota airbase
The C-130N transporters of the 36th squadron are used for air transportation throughout East Asia. UH-1N and C-12J of the 374th Squadron are used for auxiliary purposes, carrying out transportations on the Japanese islands.
In addition to deploying military bases, the Americans dragged Japan into the creation of a missile defense system. Since 2004, the Japanese islands have been building modern J / FPS-5 missile attack warning systems. There are currently five radars of this type in operation in Japan. The J / FPS-5 early warning radar is capable of detecting ballistic missiles at a range of about 2000 km. Prior to the commissioning of the J / FPS-5 stations, the J / FPS-3 radars in domed protective fairings were used to detect missile launches.
Satellite image of Google earth: radar early warning system J / FPS-3 and J / FPS-5 on the island of Honshu
It is planned to equip Japanese destroyers of the Congo and Atago types equipped with the AEGIS system with SM-3 anti-missile missiles, as well as to supply the Japanese Self-Defense Forces with the THAAD mobile anti-missile system.
The actual occupation of Japan is causing increasing misunderstanding and irritation among a significant part of the local population. The Japanese do not understand why they should be hostages of the short-sighted American policy. Being the third largest economy in the world in terms of GDP in dollar terms, Japan, under US occupation, is largely unfree in its foreign policy and economic activities.
