July 3, 2009
Q: My family and I will be traveling to Japan near the end of June. I am retired military and my family and I have military IDs. I was stationed in Yokosuka in the late 1980s and my wife and I were married at the base chapel. While in Japan, we would like to go back to Yokosuka for a visit. Could you tell me if our military IDs will allow us to get on base, and if not, is there anything I can do to arrange for base access? I also have a Common Access Card (CAC) as I am a Department of Defense civilian working for Commander Navy Region Northwest. Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

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A: You are authorized with your retired military ID card to enter Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka. You are not authorized to drive on the base but there is very reliable public transportation here in Japan both on and off the base.

So, if a non-SOFA retired person visits CFAY and has obtained an 'International Driving Permit" which enables him to legally drive in Japan and he has a rented or borrowed vehicle which has appropriate insurance coverage (liability), he would not be able to drive and/or get a visitor's (for car) pass to enter and drive on CFAY to visit the NEX, Commisary or other legitimate business because????????????????????

I also may be visiting the Base with my son. He has a Japanese drivers license, lives in Japan while under contract for three years teaching English, Has all of the proper insurance needed, but he is no longer considered to be a dependent as he is 27 Years old. Will he be able to bring his car on the base so we may stay at the base Navy Lodge or accommodations available, and if not is there a secure place for him to park his car while we do out shopping, eating and sleeping?
Further will he be able to get on the base with me and go someplace for some American food?
We would also like to go to the Navy Federal Credit Union as well, as we are both members, as he has some questions about converting his payroll check (Yen into Dollars) and getting some of it back to the states? Is there a listing of the types of places than you can get food on base as well (ie.Macdonald's, Burger King....)

Thanks in advance.

Unique1,

As long was you are retired, which i read your profile and you spent 8 in the Navy and 20 in the Coast Guard, you should be okay as long as you bring your retired ID card. You will be authorized to escort guests, and as long as your son has a Japanese Drivers License that will allow him to be an escorted guest for you. I would just recommend him bring 1 or 2 other forms of ID just in case like a Passport, or US Drivers License..

Since your a member of Navy Federal, I see no reason why they would turn you away for assistance. There team is very helpful.

For your question about the money exchange, Navy Federal is not able to exchange funds from Japanese to American Dollars or vice versa. I would recommend going off-base for those type of exchanges. Not sure if you have been following the exchange rates right now, but they are very bad... Nothing you can do about it though. Just have to take the good with the bad and the bad with the good. I believe its around 90-91 right now. I remember when it was 139.. Those days are long gone! If your son has Yen, I would recommend him change the money off-base to dollars, and then deposit the dollars into his American Navy Federal Account, and then perform a 3rd party transfer to an authenticated US stateside bank account that he has registered.

Food Question:
Yes there is a range of fast food places:
McDonalds, Taco Bell, Mene Gene's, Subway, Popeye's, Long John Silvers, and there is a new restaurant that just opened onbase "Chili's"

Off-base very close to Yokosuka Chou Station, there is a new Burger King.

I will be making a complete directory of Restaurants, and Food establishments in the area which will be released to this website in December. November will be the hotels in the area. Check the site plan available on the homepage for more details.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Oh, by the way, I just caught the car parking question.

Yes it is authorized to bring vehicles into the base, but I believe in your case you may have to be in DBIDs. Not sure about this. I could ask for you though, or you could contact the Yokosuka Security Office directly.

There are plenty of places to leave your sons vehicle off-base. They usually charge by the hour, and you could also park at Daiei Mall, and after your done pick up a few things, or eat some food. When you leave, if you show your receipts they usually cover your period while your parked there. Just remember it usually only covers 3-4 hours, so you may have to pay a little out of pocket. Its still better than just parking at a meter parking..

Hi, I was stationed in Yokosuka at the Naval Hospital from 1970-1972. I was married in the Hospital Chapel on Nov 14, 1970. My wife and I would love to come back for a visit from our our home in St. Louis, MO next year for our 40th anniversary.

I have spent many hours trying to find out how I get permission to come on base. The websites and the few phone numbers I have tried are complete dead ends.

Could someone please point me in the right direction? I do not have any retirement ID except my DD214. I was a 6 year reservist.

Thanks,
Wayne Sheridan (used to HM2)

Wayne,

Getting onbase and not being retired is a tough call. Yes you were a veteran, but now have no purpose or authority to come onbase anymore.

I think this is pretty much impossible unless you get an escort to get you inside the base.

There are times of the year though, that have what they call, "Open Base events" which allow Japanese, and other individuals the right to come onbase for a tour, cherry blossom festivals, fireworks, mikoshi day parades, etc...
Now you would only be authorized the path that everyone else is allowed that security has tied off (with the ropes) as authorized locations to visit, but you could still come on and experience visiting or seeing the base.

Without having an ID card its pretty difficult to get onbase, without having an official escort or approval from the base.

Since you were married at the hospital chapel, I would recommend, you contact the base public affairs dept. This is a case by case situation, but it may offer a good story, for someone that was married 40 years ago, that wants to renew their vows. I think it will be denied for your request, but it still is the only option I think out there.

Adam, thanks for the quick reply. While disappointing I guess I see your point. I thought that being a veteran would mean something. Could you give me the public affairs dept address or e-mail so I could contact them? I have scoured the base website but all the acronyms do not mean a thing to this old civilian. Thanks again.

Wayne,

The PAO's office can be reached at 243-7194 or 243-9968 which would be dialed from the US using the following: 011-81-46-816-7194 or 011-81-46-816-9968.

Now...if you get in touch with them and you find that you are not getting anywhere... You PM (Private Message) me and I'll push some local PAO buttons and worst case...I'll escort you on base and get you in to the chapel. Hell, it would be an honour and a story to tell my children many years from now! I wouldn't promise you constant supervision for your entire stay here, but I would definitely ensure you got in to the chapel and walked around the base for a few hours...then once off base I might even treat you and your bride to a dinner.

For being married (to the same woman) for 40 years...I say "WELL DONE, SIR, WELL DONE!"

I have a question Iwill be visitin Japan In june and wanted to go on the naval base. I was widowed 5 years ago and have a Military ID, will I be able to get on base?

I got access to drive on all of the US bases in the Tokyo area with an international DL, including Yokosuka, as a non-SOFA contractor 20ish years ago.

@Me, with the military ID card it will be no problem.

Old Corpsman,

We had the same problem when we visited Japan in 2008 -- no military IDs (and a dismissive response from the PAO). Our solution was to contact our US Senator (Jim Webb - D Va), who happens to have a long and illustrious history with the Marines and Dept of the Navy. Whatever action he took certainly did the trick. We received a tour of the base and a meeting with CFAY.

It is a bad idea to insult/hurt the feelings of a fiesty old broad...

Good luck with your efforts! You will be amazed at the changes on the base.

Response to Old Corpsman,

Military installations are just that and not themed parks. There is a mission to accomplish and as much fun as it is totting visitors around, that is not why we are here.

To Me - please call the installation PAO office and we will be happy to assist.

Sorry.  Did I say "dismissive"?  I must have meant "rude."

I recently got married to Japanese and live in Fukuoka, Japan. I applied for the Foreign Medical Treatment in America. I also got a Dept. of Veterans Affairs card.....which at the time I thought was the actual Vet Card. I visited Sasebo base and had in mind that I could go on base. My main reason to go on base was to go to Medical and ask questions and get set-up to get treated for my service connected disability when needed. I know their are opportunities for case-by-case access on base. Security in Sasebo, said that the only way they know to access base is if I was SOPHIA sponsored or had Vet card (that they recognize) or escorted. I would like to access base without having to work on base or have an escort because I live a little far from base to work there and if I really have a big problem with my disability that I can go straight there asap instead of waiting for someone to be able to escort me. My friend stateside told me to try to talk to PAO in Yokosuka but I cant find the main official website for Yokosuka Base. He told me that Yokosuka acts like the main office and would save time. So I am here giving this a try.

I'm not an expert, but if you have a service-related disability then you should have a real card from DVA showing your entitlements to VA health care. Sounds like what you got was some bogus card that base security doesn't recognize. So the question is, what card do you need from DVA that would be recognized at Sasebo and entitle you to military health care.

SOFA (not SOFIA) means "Status of Forces Agreement". This is for Americans (and their family members) in Japan for official purposes, such as military members, US contractors, and federal workers. Retirees in Japan are not SOFA unless they also meet one of these other categories. From what you said, you don't & can't meet any of the requirements to attain SOFA status.

Lots of great information passed on to this vet. I'll add my two cents - forget about using the base galley. It's a long story and you can read about it in the past blogs.

Hi,