Representatives from the USO and the Mercure Hotel meet at the facility near Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Feb. 19 2026. (Photo by Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan – Mercure Hotel Yokosuka has been recognized by the USO for its support of programs that benefit U.S. service members and their families.
The facility – a property of French hotel chain Accor – is situated prominently in the city with a view from some rooms of Yokosuka Naval Base, home of the U.S. 7th Fleet.
Because of its financial support of USO programs like Coffee Connection, the canine Therapy Tails sessions on Wednesdays and the USO center itself, the Mercure was designated a silver tier USO sponsor, according to a USO news release on Feb. 2.
“This is beyond a partnership – this is truly a commitment in our relationship between the Japanese and the U.S. military,” Juliet Bucaya-Domingo, senior area director for the USO in Japan, said during a Feb. 19 interview at the hotel. “Without their support, we would not be able to provide all these programs and services to the military community.”
Military members and their families who mention the USO during their stay or when they dine at the Mercure Hotel Yokosuka, will receive a free beverage, she said.
The USO has three sponsor tiers: bronze, silver, and gold. As a silver sponsor, the hotel assists with programs that benefit service members on base, as well as initiatives such as local clean-ups around Yokosuka, according to the release.
The financial support from sponsors allows the USO to provide free programs and services to service members and their families.
Bucaya-Domingo developed the idea for a partnership with Mercure after her personal experience at the hotel, she said in the release. After months of communication with Naoto Yoshizumi, general manager of the Mercure Hotel Yokosuka, they decided to formalize the partnership.
Connection was a focal point for both Bucaya-Domingo and Yoshizumi when creating the partnership, they said.
“Japanese people don’t usually have contact with base-related people,” Yoshizumi said in the interview. “Through the USO, we would like to communicate with you guys and the rest of the communities. It’s a great way to exchange cultures.”
Yoshizumi and Bucaya-Domingo hope to continue partnering to host more community events in the future, such as cleaning up the Honch, a nightlife district near the base, to increase engagement between the U.S. military and Japanese communities.
“Our mission and what we do in providing support for the military is about connection, and this partnership between the USO and Mercure Hotel Yokosuka is all about connection,” Bucaya-Domingo said.
At the Mercure Hotel, a property of French hotel chain Accor, some rooms have a view of Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, home of the U.S. 7th Fleet. (Photo by Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
baez.jonathan@stripes.com, @JBaez_Stripes
