Exercise Big Rescue Kanagawa 2026 Strengthens Bilateral Disaster Medical Readiness

Sept. 9, 2026 | By Daniel Taylor, U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka |

Sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Yokosuka, Japan, joined U.S. and Japanese military, government, medical and emergency response organizations for Exercise Big Rescue Kanagawa 2026, Sept. 1, at the Kanagawa Prefectural Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Center and Fire Academy in Atsugi City, Japan.

USNMRTC Yokosuka contributed doctors, hospital corpsmen, Japanese fellows and translators to a tri-service U.S. medical team. The team integrated with other War Department emergency responders and Japanese medical partners to rehearse patient reception, bilateral triage and treatment, casualty movement and coordination across military and civilian medical systems.

Big Rescue Kanagawa is a large-scale, multiagency disaster-response exercise jointly organized by Kanagawa Prefecture and Atsugi City. It brings together Japanese and U.S. military, medical and emergency response organizations to practice coordinated rescue and medical operations.

USNMRTC Yokosuka sailors and American Red Cross Yokosuka volunteers applied moulage — makeup and materials used to simulate injuries — to role players before the mass casualty scenario. American Red Cross Yokosuka volunteers also served as role players, creating realistic conditions for medical teams to assess injuries, prioritize treatment and move patients.

Translators and Japanese fellows helped U.S. and Japanese participants communicate throughout the exercise. Their support allowed medical teams to exchange information, coordinate care and work through differences in language, procedures and medical practices before a real emergency occurs.

"Exercises like Big Rescue Kanagawa are about more than validating procedures — they are about building the relationships and trust that make a coordinated response possible," said Nikolai Kerry, emergency manager, USNMRTC Yokosuka. "By training alongside our U.S. joint partners and Japanese allies, we strengthen the communication, teamwork and shared understanding needed to provide timely care when communities need us most."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attended the exercise with Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Kanagawa Gov. Yuji Kuroiwa and other local officials. The delegation observed rescue, medical and emergency response demonstrations conducted by participating organizations.

Army Maj. Gen. James Dooghan, commanding general of U.S. Army Japan, met with the prime minister on behalf of the department teams participating in the exercise. U.S. Army Japan participated alongside the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Navy and Air Force, highlighting capabilities U.S. forces in Japan can provide in support of disaster-response operations.

USNMRTC Yokosuka's command triad also attended the drill to observe the command's sailors working with Japanese medical partners and other War Department responders during the medical response scenario.

"Seeing USNMRTC Yokosuka and U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit Atsugi personnel work through a complex scenario reinforced the value of training as one Navy medicine team," said Navy Capt. Joshua A. Miller, commanding officer, USNMRTC Yokosuka and director, U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka. "Every rehearsal builds the confidence and habits that allow us to respond with purpose when it matters most. That is what it means to be ready, steady and together."