March 9, 2026
Concerned Yokosuka citizens on March 8 staged a protest in front of the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base (Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Pref.) against the launch of Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles from the two Aegis destroyers based in Yokosuka which are currently deployed in the Arabian Sea conducting strikes against Iranian targets.
The protesters submitted a letter to the Commander of the U.S. Navy in Japan, demanding that the two vessels be withdrawn from the U.S.-Israeli theater of war targeting Iranian facilities.
The letter pointed out that using Japanese bases as a staging ground for attacks in the Middle East violates Article 6 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, and that the U.S. military is ignoring the prior consultations with Japan required when participating in distant wars from U.S. bases in Japan.
A Yokosuka resident said, “For us, to accept Yokosuka as a U.S. sortie base means that we ourselves become complicit in the distant war the United States is waging. We don’t want that.”
The protesters submitted a letter to the Commander of the U.S. Navy in Japan, demanding that the two vessels be withdrawn from the U.S.-Israeli theater of war targeting Iranian facilities.
The letter pointed out that using Japanese bases as a staging ground for attacks in the Middle East violates Article 6 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, and that the U.S. military is ignoring the prior consultations with Japan required when participating in distant wars from U.S. bases in Japan.
A Yokosuka resident said, “For us, to accept Yokosuka as a U.S. sortie base means that we ourselves become complicit in the distant war the United States is waging. We don’t want that.”
