
The USS Ronald Reagan, an imposing figure in the Indo-Pacific waters for nearly a decade, has sailed away from its Japanese home port in Yokosuka.

The departure of USS Ronald Reagan — one of America’s largest warships and a nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier — comes at a time of growing tension in the face of increasingly assertive China in the Indo-Pacific.

USS Ronald Reagan was the only American aircraft carrier deployed as a flagship of the Carrier Strike Group 5 under the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet, to a home port outside the U.S.

The farewell was tinged with sentiment, as hundreds of sailors lined the rails and formed the words “dewa mata,” a Japanese farewell meaning “see you” a nod to the deep connections fostered over its deployment.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, present at the departure ceremony, underscored the continuous American commitment to the region, ensuring a “seamless transition” in naval operations.

“The USS Ronald Reagan and her crew have ensured that millions of people across the Indo-Pacific have been able to live their lives free of coercion, aggression and suppression,” Emanuel later elaborated, encapsulating the carrier’s mission and impact.

As the USS Ronald Reagan sails towards its next chapter, the USS George Washington stands ready to replace it later this year.

This transition is more than a mere swap of hardware; Japan has been accelerating the buildup of its military capability and significantly increased joint naval operations with the United States.

With maritime disputes in the South China Sea escalating and Japan’s own tensions with China over the East China Sea’s uninhabited islands, the importance of a strong U.S.-Japan partnership remains paramount.

Former Defense Minister Tomomi Inada emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “We have a sense of urgency that we must not let the East China Sea become another South China Sea.”

Landing on the islands is not permitted, so Inada’s group flew drones for land and vegetation survey of the area. China protested the trip.

The carrier’s historical significance and contributions to regional stability are notable.

During its tenure, the USS Ronald Reagan not only engaged in multilateral exercises and historic port calls but also played a humanitarian role in Operation Tomodachi, following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan.

Meanwhile, the regional naval landscape remains dynamic, with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group docking in Singapore and several nonregional navies deploying in Southeast Asia for engagement and exercises.

Ronald Reagan is scheduled to turn over with USS George Washington (CVN-73) and then transit to Bremerton, Washington, later this year. USNI News previously reported that Reagan will conduct an overhaul in Washington state before its permanent homeport assignment. Washington is currently operating around South America, conducting a U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Southern Seas 2024 deployment.
Relevant articles:
– USS Ronald Reagan leaves its Japan home port after nearly 9 years, Dayton Daily News
– Carrier USS Ronald Reagan Leaves Japan for the Last Time, usni.org