Officials from the Okinawa prefecture submitted a request to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet Headquarters in Japan, along with the Japanese Central Government, to not dock a U.S. naval vessel at Ishigaki port. The request comes as the Yokosuka-based guided missile destroyer, the U.S.S. Rafael Peralta, plans to sail in Japan’s southwestern area.
Minesweepers from the U.S. Navy have docked at the port in 2009 and in September 2023. The docking indicates that the U.S. Navy wants to gain more experience in utilizing commercial ports located in the Sakishima Island Chain.
Other officials made calls for the Japanese government and the U.S. military to show “self-restraint” at the time.
