US sailors in Japan under probe over drugs: official

February 14, 2018

Tokyo- A US Navy official has admitted that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is investigating sailors deployed at the Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, for their alleged drug use and distribution.

"The Navy has zero tolerance for drug abuse and takes all allegations involving misconduct of our sailors, Navy civilians and family members very seriously," the official at the Navy's 7th Fleet, based in Yokosuka, said.

According to a US media report, at least a dozen US sailors in Japan, including some serving aboard the Yokosuka-based nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, are under investigation on suspicion of buying, selling and using drugs.

The NCIS is seen probing the case in cooperation with Japanese authorities as some of the drugs may have been sold to Japanese citizens. Jiji Press