US Navy Destroyer To Dock At Ishigaki Port For The First Time In History

The U.S. Navy is striving to implement new measures for its guided-missile destroyer named USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), which belongs to the Arleigh Burke class, to make its port call at Ishigaki Island from March 11–14, per an official in Ishigaki City.

If everything follows the thought-out strategy, this one will be the first-ever visit by a U.S. Navy destroyer to the politically turbulent island of southwestern Nansei Island chain of Japan, spanning approximately 1,200 km, extending from Kagoshima’s southern tip toward Taiwan vis-à-vis China. Ishigaki belongs to the “first island chain”.

Over the years, Japan has deployed its Self-Defense Force troops on the Nansei Islands, and China has bolstered military activities in the South and East China Seas. Ishigaki Island is located near the highly disputed and troubled Senkaku islands, famous as the Diaoyu islands in China.

Japan currently controls the uninhabited islands, but Taiwan and China reportedly claim them. Rafael Peralta is preparing to reach the port at around 9 a.m. on March 11. It is expected to depart at around 9 a.m. on March 14 for rest and replenishment, the city official informed Naval News on February 8 over a call.

The U.S. Navy further notified Ishigaki City regarding the port call via Ishigaki’s Coast Guard Department, which is based on the US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement, per the official. However, the assigned official at Ishigaki City, the port administrator associated with the Ishigaki Port, mentioned that the priority is ascribed to private cruise vessels to get scheduled to step into the port, and the city is continuing its discussions on how best to respond to the U.S. Navy’s notification.

Earlier, the mine countermeasures vessel USS Pioneer (MCM 9), which belongs to the Avenger class, visited Ishigaki Port from September 7 to 8 last year during its routine training. Two mine warfare vessels, the Guardian (MCM 5) and Patriot (MCM 7) reached the port on a goodwill visit in April 2009.

In each case, the pacifist organizations and labour unions arranged by the harbour workers launched protests against the U.S. war vessels’ visits to the port located on the island. As Okinawa was the site of a fierce battle during WWII between the U.S. and Japan, pacifist activities continued to be strong there.

Ports in the Okinawa Prefecture are popular for shallow waters, but Ishigaki Port is equipped fully with a quay with a notable depth of nearly 10.5 meters. Rafael Peralta, which was forward deployed for Yokosuka, toward the south of Tokyo, as a part of the 7th Fleet of the U.S., arrived at Otaru, on the island of Hokkaido in Japan this year on February 5, for its scheduled port visit with no incident. The destroyer measures 155 meters in length, displacing nearly 9,000 tons, and maintains a crew size of 300, per the U.S. Navy’s report.

Reference: Naval News

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Source: Maritime Shipping News