YOKOHAMA NORTH DOCK, Japan -- The Army Field Support Battalion-Northeast Asia (AFSBn-NEA) and the 403rd Army Field Support Brigade provided an operational update and tour of the Army watercraft capability at Yokohama North Dock (YND) to Gen. Kiyofumi Iwata, chief of staff, Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Maj. Gen. James Pasquarette, commanding general, U.S. Army Japan, Nov. 11.
Iwata toured the Cedar Run Landing Craft Utility vessel with members of AFSBn-NEA explaining how the Army Preposition Stocks-4 watercraft assets provide leaders with additional options and expand operational reach within the Pacific.
"Army watercraft are strategic assets and I would like for the JGSDF to engage in bilateral training opportunities in the future," Iwata said.
Pasquarette agreed adding that, "Joint training exercises in the Philippines provide bilateral training opportunities across the Pacific region."
The tour came as the AFSBn-NEA staff were finalizing maintenance checks following the Combined/Joint Logistics Over The Shore-15 exercise. The JGSDF delegation expressed appreciation for the operational readiness of U.S. Army watercraft and look forward to future bilateral training engagements.
These key leader engagements foster the building of partnerships and further the understanding of operational capabilities of both the U.S. and Japanese armies with the goal of increasing inter-operability to support one another during contingencies or crisis.