Yokosuka

**Yokosuka** (横須賀市, *Yokosuka-shi*) is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

Yokosuka is the 11th most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region.

## Overview

The area around present-day Yokosuka City has been inhabited for thousands of years. Archaeologists have found stone tools and shell middens from the Japanese Paleolithic period and ceramic shards from the Jōmon and Kofun periods at numerous locations in the area.

During the Edo period, Yokosuka *tenryō* territory was controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate, but administered through various *hatamoto*. Due to its strategic location at the entrance to Tokyo Bay, the Shogunate established the post of Uraga *Bugyō* in 1720, and all shipping into the bay was required to stop for inspection. As concerns over the increasing number of incursions by foreign vessels and attempts to end Japan's self-imposed national seclusion policy, the Shogunate established a number of coastal artillery batteries around Yokosuka, including an outpost at Ōtsu in 1842. However, despite these efforts, in 1853, United States naval Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Tokyo Bay with his fleet of Black Ships and came ashore at Kurihama, in southern Yokosuka, leading to the opening of diplomatic and trade relations between Japan and the United States. The *Kanrin Maru* sailed from Yokosuka in 1860 with the first Japanese diplomatic embassy to the United States in 1860.

During the turbulent Bakumatsu period, the Shogunate selected Yokosuka as the site for a modern naval base ("Odaiba"), and hired the French engineer Léonce Verny in 1865 to oversee the development of shipbuilding facilities, beginning with Yokosuka Iron Foundry. Yokosuka Naval Arsenal became the first modern arsenal to be created in Japan. The construction of the arsenal was the central point of a global modern infrastructure, that was to prove an important first step for the modernization of Japan's industry. Modern buildings, the Hashirimizu waterway, foundries, brick factories, and technical schools to train Japanese technicians were established.

After the Meiji Restoration, the arsenal was taken over by the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the area of modern Yokosuka was reorganized into Uraga Town and numerous villages within Miura District, Kanagawa Prefecture. Yokosuka Village was elevated to town status in 1878 and was made the capital of Miura District. In 1889, the Yokosuka Line railway was opened, connecting Yokosuka to Yokohama and Tokyo. Yokosuka was elevated to city status on February 15, 1907. From 1916, Oppama in Yokosuka was developed as the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal, and many of the combat aircraft subsequently operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service were developed or tested at Yokosuka. Yokosuka Naval Arsenal also continued to expand in the early 20th century, and its production included battleships such as *Yamashiro*, and aircraft carriers such as *Hiryū* and *Shōkaku*. Smaller warships were constructed at the privately owned Uraga Dock Company. Yokosuka Naval District was the home port of the IJN 1st Fleet.

During World War II, Yokosuka was bombed on April 18, 1942 by American B-25 bombers in the Doolittle Raid with little damage as a retaliation to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Aside from minor sporadic tactical air raids by United States Navy aircraft, it was not bombed again during the war; however, from 1938 to 1945 more than 260 caves in more than 20 separate tunnel/cave networks were built throughout the area, with at least 27 kilometers of known tunnels within the grounds of Yokosuka Naval Base. Many more tunnels are scattered throughout the surrounding areas. During the war, these tunnels and caves provided areas in which work could be done in secrecy, safe from air attacks. A 500-bed hospital, a large electrical power generating facility, and a midget submarine factory and warehouse were among the many facilities built. American occupation forces landed at Yokosuka on August 30, 1945, after the surrender of Japan, and the naval base has been used by the US Navy since that time. The caves were used for storage and as an emergency shelter during the Korean War.

From the 1950s, United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka has been home port for the United States Seventh Fleet, and played a critical support role in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Yokosuka was the site of many anti-war protests during the late 1960s and 1970s. The nuclear-powered USS *George Washington* was the first U.S. nuclear-powered ship that had been permanently based in Japan, which is also transferred to the New World. The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force also operates a military port next to the American base, as well as numerous training facilities at scattered locations around the city.

## Chronology

### After the Transfer

Even after the transfer of Japan to the New World, the USFJ and JMSDF bases are still operational, although the USFJ can't move due to lack of direct order from the White House or Pentagon.

The Qua-Toyne Principality has sent 20 wooden warships and 20 Wyverns along with 100 soldiers to Yokosuka Base as part of goodwill delegation to Japan.

## Lay-out and Features

* The *Mikasa*, flagship of Admiral Togo at the Battle of Tsushima, built in Britain by Vickers, is preserved on dry land at Yokosuka. It is a museum, complete with actors dressed like members of the original crew. The ship was visited by Myrus during their diplomatic visit to Japan. After the Battle of the Folk Strait, during the meeting, he proposed that Las Kasami will be brought to Japan for repair and improvement. Most of his superiors at that time are still skeptical since handing over their ship means giving up its secrets, even to their ally. When they said that, he said to his superiors that the *Mikasa* is similar to their state-of-the art *La Kasami* and is already 100 years old.