Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti Meets with JMSDF Chief of Staff Adm. Akira Saito in Perth

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met with Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Adm. Akira Saito, on July 24 in Perth, Australia. The meeting took place during the Indian Ocean Defense and Security Conference.

Adm. Franchetti congratulated Adm. Saito on his recent appointment as Chief of Staff and reaffirmed the U.S.-Japan Alliance as a cornerstone of regional security in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The leaders discussed Franchetti’s recent visit to the JMSDF ship JS Kunisaki (LST-4003) during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. Adm. Franchetti praised the JMSDF for its expanded leadership role in the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response portion of the exercise.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of the size and scope of this year’s RIMPAC, which allowed the 29 participating nations to expand training opportunities and experiment with new technologies. They also reinforced their commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. Adm. Franchetti expressed her anticipation for continued opportunities for bilateral and multilateral exercises with the JMSDF.

This meeting marked the first encounter between Franchetti and Saito as heads of their respective navies.