Santa Claus hands out toys and gifts to Japanese children at the community center in Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 20, 2025. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripe)
KIN TOWN, Okinawa — Santa Claus, with an assist from U.S. Marines and high school cadets, handed out plushies, dolls, Lego sets and other toys to Japanese children over the weekend at the local community center.
Approximately 80 children and their parents were invited by the Kin Town Social Welfare Office to the Merry Marine Toy Drive on Saturday with Marines of the 3rd Intelligence Battalion and Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets from Kubasaki High School.
This year more than 2,400 toy donations were collected from across the island, with more than 200 given away at the Kin Town Community Center, Marine Corps Installations Pacific spokeswoman Sidney Sullivan said at the event.
Miniature cars, Barbie dolls, Pokémon plushies, sport balls, stuffed animals and action figures were among the toys given away. A large toy fire truck stood apart.
The Kubasaki JROTC program at Camp Foster launched the toy drive in 2022 as Toys from Cadets. The following year, the Marine Corps merged existing programs and expanded it across Okinawa as the Merry Marine Toy Drive, with toys collected by Marines and their families.
Lt. Col. Ben Howe, commander of 3rd Intelligence Battalion at Camp Hansen, in opening remarks expressed his appreciation for his command’s participation in toy drives since 2014.
“This is a small way for us to show how grateful we are to be here on this beautiful island of Okinawa and for our friendship with the community,” said Howe at the event. “I see the future as continuing our strong engagement with Kin and potentially branching out to other communities throughout Okinawa.”
Marines of 3rd Intelligence Battalion and Kubasaki High School JROTC cadets deliver donated toys to children at the Kin Town Community Center, Okinawa, Japan, during a Merry Marine Toy Drive event, Dec. 20, 2025. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripe)
The event also featured games and activity stations, including holiday-themed coloring stations, a bowling lane, a soccer-scoring activity and a Velcro baseball scoring target.
Sgt. Andrew Campbell, of Traverse City, Mich., in a holiday sweater and elf ears, said he was happy to volunteer alongside 11 other Marines.
“I think it was a great time,” he told Stars and Stripes at the event. “I think any time that you can give back to any kind of community in general is what we signed up for at the end of the day.”
The JROTC cadets wrapped up the event with Christmas carols.
“We are a very active program. We’re always doing community events, volunteering at different locations,” said Charles Redden, a retired Marine colonel and JROTC senior Marine instructor. “We’re just one of many; it’s a good program and cause for the kids.”
Kubasaki High School JROTC cadets sing Christmas carols at the Kin Town Community Center, Okinawa, Japan, during a Merry Marine Toy Drive event, Dec. 20, 2025. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripe)
