Alex Wilson

Kanagawa

Asia-Pacific correspondent for @StarsandStripes out of U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Also an aspiring novelist, outdoor enthusiast and dedicated bookworm.

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Articles

British warship sails Taiwan Strait a week after Japanese destroyer’s passage

1 week ago | stripes.com | Keishi Koja |Alex Wilson

The British patrol ship HMS Spey, seen here near the Malay Peninsula in April 2025, passed through the Taiwan Strait on June 18, 2025. (British navy) A British patrol ship passed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, less than a week after a Japanese destroyer made a similar trip through the contentious waterway.
Record troop turnout expected for Talisman Sabre drills in and around Australia

1 week ago | stripes.com | Alex Wilson

The turnout for this year's Talisman Sabre should surpass that of the 2023 exercise, which involved roughly 30,000 troops from 13 nations and three observer countries. (Stars and Stripes) The biennial Talisman Sabre is set to begin next month, bringing together a record number of troops from 19 countries for joint training across Australia and Papua New Guinea. Scheduled to run from July 13 to Aug.
USS George Washington’s quiet departure coincides with Chinese naval activity in Pacific

2 weeks ago | stripes.com | Alex Wilson

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington departs Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, June 10, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — A steady drizzle accompanied the USS George Washington on Tuesday as the aircraft carrier steamed out of Tokyo Bay and began its first patrol since returning to Japan last year.
Chinese aircraft carrier enters Japan’s easternmost EEZ for first time

2 weeks ago | stripes.com | Alex Wilson |Hana Kusumoto

The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, seen here in the Western Pacific on April 18, 2018, was spotted operating in Japan's exclusive economic zone for the first time on June 7, 2025.
USS Tripoli heads to Japan to lead amphibious ready group in the Pacific

3 weeks ago | stripes.com | Alex Wilson

Sailors secure target stands on the aircraft elevator during a gun shoot aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli somewhere in the eastern Pacific Ocean, June 2, 2025. (Kaleb Schultz/U.S. Navy) The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli is on its way to Japan, where it will replace the USS America as the lead vessel of the Navy’s sole amphibious ready group outside the United States.
Mold, corrosion at Guam barracks spark worldwide Navy housing inspections

1 month ago | stripes.com | Alex Wilson

Problems at Palau Hall barracks on Guam include exposed wires, corroded plumbing, deteriorating walls and mold that had been painted over, according to the Project on Government Oversight.
Joint Region Marianas welcomes new commander as $7 billion in military projects advance

1 month ago | stripes.com | Alex Wilson

Rear Adm. Brett Mietus, seen here speaking at Patrol Squadron 30's headquarters on April 29, 2025, took command of Joint Region Marianas on May 29, 2025. (Curtis Spencer/U.S. Navy) A U.S. Navy flight officer has taken command of Guam’s three major military bases and regional installations, as the island wraps up a series of significant leadership changes across its military commands. Rear Adm.
Sailor avoids prison in Japan for deadly collision with motorcyclist

1 month ago | stripes.com | Alex Wilson |Hana Kusumoto

A U.S. Navy sailor told a Japanese court on May 7, 2025, that he made an illegal turn near Yokosuka Naval Base on Sept. 18, 2024, causing a fatal collision. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) YOKOSUKA, Japan — A U.S. Navy sailor received a suspended sentence Tuesday for a traffic accident that killed a Japanese motorcyclist near Yokosuka Naval Base last year.
F-35C jets join carrier-landing drills as USS George Washington preps for patrol

1 month ago | stripes.com | Alex Wilson

An F-35C Lightning II stealth fighter performs touch-and-goes during field carrier landing practice on Iwo Jima, Japan, on May 25, 2025. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes) IWO JIMA, Japan — U.S. Navy pilots are preparing for the USS George Washington’s inaugural patrol from its new homeport in Japan, conducting carrier-landing drills that, for the first time, include F-35C Lightning IIs on this historic island.
Palenske signs off: 36th Wing commander on Guam ends 39-year Air Force career

1 month ago | stripes.com | Alex Wilson

Brig. Gen. Thomas Palenske relinquishes command of the 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, May 22, 2025. (Joseph Maye/U.S. Air Force) Brig. Gen. Thomas Palenske, who guided the 36th Wing through one of Guam’s most destructive storms in decades, stepped down Thursday, marking the end of a 39-year military career defined by an unorthodox public style. Palenske relinquished command to Col.