The U.S. missile cruiser Cowpens sailed from the U.S. Navy base here on Saturday morning, the first warship to be dispatched from the Yokosuka base since Tuesday's terrorist attacks in the United States.
While confirming the departure of the 9,957-ton Ticonderoga-class cruiser, officials of the No. 7 fleet headquarters refused to elaborate on the warship's destination or its mission.
It is believed that the cruiser has been dispatched to the Middle East.
Apart from the vessels already operating in the area, warships stationed at Yokosuka are the closest to the Middle East and can arrive on station in about a week.
With another cruiser and a destroyer scheduled to sail from the base on Monday, Japanese supply personnel and mechanics were busy Saturday, the Respect for the Aged national holiday.
The Cowpens is equipped with Tomahawk surface-to-surface missiles and an Aegis air defense system, which allows simultaneous attacks on multiple targets.