171218-N-ES994-100 TOKYO (Dec. 18, 2017) Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson, left, met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Monday, in Tokyo to strengthen the military alliance between the United States and Japan. Richardson reaffirmed the U.S. Navy's ironclad commitment to deepening security cooperation with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and discussed new opportunities for combined operations. The U.S. Navy and the JMSDF routinely conduct combined maritime exercises and operate together to promote peace and security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Elliott Fabrizio/Released)