The Tokyo Fire Department Band welcomes the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex into Tokyo. Essex arrived in Tokyo for a scheduled port visit and disaster management drill. At the request of the Tokyo Metropolitan government, Essex will be involved in the evacuation phase of this year's Tokyo Metropolitan government and Kanagawa Prefecture government disaster response drill. Essex is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed U.S. Expeditionary Strike Group and serves as the flagship for Combined Task Force 76, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force commander.