U.S. use of Japan shipyards will cement alliance: ex-SDF admiral

Yoji Koda says quick repair of vessels would be crucial in a Taiwan crisis

The guided missile destroyer USS John S. McCain prepares to depart from a dry dock at Fleet Activities Yokosuka in 2018. The U.S. is weighing the possibility of using private shipyards outside the base for ship repairs. © U.S. Navy

KEN MORIYASU, Nikkei Asia diplomatic correspondent

June 27, 2023 10:28 JST

TOKYO -- The U.S. Navy wants to create a number of repair and maintenance hubs in the Indo-Pacific where it can quickly fix its ships.

When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Washington last week, he and U.S. President Joe Biden issued a joint statement that welcomed "India's emergence as a hub for maintenance and repair for forward-deployed U.S. Navy assets."