The U.S. Navy said Thursday it is investigating several crew members of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, home-ported in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, over suspected involvement in drug use and drug trafficking.
The Navy is taking the incident seriously and cooperating with Japanese law enforcement authorities, according to an official. The investigation is said to be in the initial stage, and it was not immediately clear what type of drug or how many people were involved.
The Ronald Reagan is believed to have departed from its base on Tuesday for a long-term patrolling mission.
In 2018, a U.S. Navy sailor assigned to the Ronald Reagan was referred to Japanese prosecutors for allegedly smuggling narcotic drugs by international mail.