Japan's foreign minister visits Kadena

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Matthew H. Molloy, 18th Wing commander, welcomes Japan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Koichiro Genba, during his site visit to Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 18. During the meeting, the foreign minister extended his appreciation to Okinawa-based U.S. service members for working to ensure peace and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jarvie Z. Wallace/released)

Japanese Employees Honored for Service

HAMURA, Japan -- Col. Otto Feather, 374th Airlift Wing commander, and leaders from U.S. Forces, Japan pose for a group photo with Japanese employees at the 2011 USFJ Length of Service Awards Ceremony in Hamura City on Oct. 13, 2011. The ceremony honored 171 Japanese employees who have served with USFJ for 10, 20 and 30 years. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)

Bioenvironmentalist train during simulated biological response exercise

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Tech. Sgt. Makeisha LaPlante, 35th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, watches the indicator as she scans the area for possible bio hazard at building 99 during an exercise Sept 12. This training helps ready and prepare today's Airmen for any event that may occur. (U.S. Air Force Photo/ Staff Sgt. April Quintanilla)

ISO teams keep Yokota, Kadena flying high

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Airman 1st Class Jarrett Hunt and A1C Omar Mundle, 374th Maintenance Squadron aerospace maintenance journeymen, perform an isochronal inspection on a C-130 Hercules Sept. 8, 2011, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. The inspection consists of dividing the plane into five sections, allowing Airmen to examine each section individually. Between Yokota Air Base and Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, there are more than 20 C-130s that have the inspections done every 540 days. (U.S Air Force photo/by Staff Sgt. Stacy Moless)

Miss Veedol makes commemorative flight over Misawa

MISAWA, Japan -- Col. Michael Rothstein, left, 35th Fighter Wing commander, and Brig. Gen. John Raymond, left center, 5th Air Force vice commander, listen to opening remarks during the Miss Veedol Flight 80th Anniversary Ceremony held at the Misawa Air and Science Museum Aug. 18. Miss Veedol was the first airplane to fly non-stop across the Pacific Ocean from Sabishiro Beach, Misawa to Wenatchee, Washington. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Marie Brown)

Fussa celebrates annual Tanabata Festival

FUSSA CITY, Japan -- Japanese folk dancers perform a traditional dance during the 61st Annual Fussa Tanabata Festival Aug. 5, 2011. Ikuo Kato, Fussa City mayor, dedicated this year's festival to the victims of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which plagued northern Japan March 11. Local Fussa residences and Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan, carried shrines called Mikoshi during the festival, also known as the star festival. According to Chinese legend, the two stars Altair and Vega, usually separated from each other by the Milky Way galaxy, meet up in the night on the same day each year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stacy Moless)