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Seth Robson

Master Sgt. Adam Brady, right, and Master Sgt. Paul On visited Yokota Air Base eastside housing in Japan on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, to ask residents about issues with their single-story row homes.<br>Allen Onstott/Stars and Stripes
Master Sgt. Adam Brady, right, and Master Sgt. Paul On visited Yokota Air Base eastside housing in Japan on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, to ask residents about issues with their single-story row homes.<br>Allen Onstott/Stars and Stripes

Officials knock on doors to ask Pacific base residents about housing issues

Officials at U.S. military installations across the Far East are going door-to-door, holding meetings and seeking feedback from residents following recent testimony to Congress and media reports about health and safety issues in military housing.

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An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon from Misawa Air Base, Japan, taxis at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam on Feb 19, 2019.<br>Xavier Navarro/U.S. Air Force
An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon from Misawa Air Base, Japan, taxis at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam on Feb 19, 2019.<br>Xavier Navarro/U.S. Air Force

Typhoon Wutip interrupts three-nation Cope North military drills on Guam

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center upgraded Wutip, with winds of 75 mph and gusts up to 90 mph, to a typhoon that day. It was forecast to pass 167 miles southwest of Andersen at 5 a.m. Sunday, possibly as a Category-3 storm.

Air Force chief of chaplains Maj. Gen. Steven Schaick told airmen gathered for a prayer breakfast Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, at the Enlisted Club at Yokota Air Base, Japan, that everyone experiences "moments of darkness" but that things get better in the end.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
Air Force chief of chaplains Maj. Gen. Steven Schaick told airmen gathered for a prayer breakfast Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, at the Enlisted Club at Yokota Air Base, Japan, that everyone experiences "moments of darkness" but that things get better in the end.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

On suicides, Air Force’s top chaplain preaches hope over darkness to Yokota airmen

Even a two-star general has “moments of darkness,” the Air Force chief of chaplains told servicemembers Thursday at the home of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo.

Cope North participants from the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force pose at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 20, 2019.<br>Xavier Navarro/U.S. Air Force
Cope North participants from the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force pose at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 20, 2019.<br>Xavier Navarro/U.S. Air Force

Nearly 100 aircraft, thousands of troops deploy to Guam for three-nation Cope North drills

Pacific Air Forces’ largest multilateral exercise, which kicked off Monday, is designed to enhance air operations among the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps as well as the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force.

Nijo Market is famous for its wide variety of local seafood, for which Hokkaido is famous.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
Nijo Market is famous for its wide variety of local seafood, for which Hokkaido is famous.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

Indulge your inner foodie and sample Hokkaido’s world-famous seafood at Nijo Market in Sapporo

The seafood section of Sapporo’s Nijo Market isn’t on the scale of Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Market — but the monster king crabs for sale there look like they could compete for Japan’s crustacean crown.

A photo shared to Twitter shows four U.S. Air Force CV-22 Ospreys at Danang International Airport, Vietnam, on Feb. 5, 2019. It's the first time Ospreys have stopped in Vietnam.<br>Screenshot via Twitter
A photo shared to Twitter shows four U.S. Air Force CV-22 Ospreys at Danang International Airport, Vietnam, on Feb. 5, 2019. It's the first time Ospreys have stopped in Vietnam.<br>Screenshot via Twitter

Air Force Ospreys make first-ever stopover in Vietnam

The U.S. normalized relations with Vietnam in 1995 and lifted an arms embargo in 2016. Last March, the USS Carl Vinson made a port call there, the first in that country by a U.S. carrier since the Vietnam War.

A statue of Miizumi Jozan, an ascetic monk who discovered the Jozankei Onsen more than 200 years ago, is a popular attraction in the area.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
A statue of Miizumi Jozan, an ascetic monk who discovered the Jozankei Onsen more than 200 years ago, is a popular attraction in the area.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

Jozankei Onsen is a hot spot for those seeking a relaxing getaway in Hokkaido

A great place to relax after a hard day of skiing or marveling at snow sculptures is only an hour’s drive or bus ride from downtown Sapporo. Jozankei is one of Hokkaido’s most popular hot springs drawing 1.6 million visitors each year, including 180,000 foreigners — twice as many as came a decade ago.

Since 2012, Bob Hudson and his wife, Rosalie, have spent many weekends along the Death March trail pulling weeds and cleaning and repainting markers. <br>Courtesy of Bob Hudson
Since 2012, Bob Hudson and his wife, Rosalie, have spent many weekends along the Death March trail pulling weeds and cleaning and repainting markers. <br>Courtesy of Bob Hudson

POW’s son works to build hospital memorial on Bataan Peninsula

Bob Hudson’s late father, Richard Hudson, was among tens of thousands forced to march nearly 70 miles to Japanese prisoner-of-war camps after the Bataan Peninsula fell on April 9, 1942.

Hollywood director Rob Reiner speaks about his film, "Shock and Awe," at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
Hollywood director Rob Reiner speaks about his film, "Shock and Awe," at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

Director Rob Reiner visits Tokyo to talk about Iraq War movie ‘Shock and Awe’

Hollywood director Rob Reiner drew a crowd of reporters on his first visit to Japan in more than three decades to promote his Iraq War journalism film “Shock and Awe.”

Air Force CV-22 Ospreys assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Group fly over Tokyo, April 5, 2018.<br>Joseph Pick/U.S. Air Force photo
Air Force CV-22 Ospreys assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Group fly over Tokyo, April 5, 2018.<br>Joseph Pick/U.S. Air Force photo

Tokyo residents complain of lights and vibrations from Yokota-based Ospreys

Residents as far as 6 miles from Yokota Air Base in the cities of Hachioji and Akiruno have felt vibrations when the tiltrotor aircraft fly nearby.

Any visit to Shiroi Koibito Park warrants a visit to the park's gift shop, which sells a variety of goods paying homage to the sweet treat.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
Any visit to Shiroi Koibito Park warrants a visit to the park's gift shop, which sells a variety of goods paying homage to the sweet treat.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

Celebrate all things sweet at the Shiroi Koibito Park, dedicated to Hokkaido’s famous souvenir

On Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, Shiroi Koibito is, quite possibly, the region’s most popular omiyage, and has attained an almost mythical status among Hokkaido’s visitors.

U.S. Ambassador Sung Y. Kim and Philippine Defense Secretary Dlfin Lorenzana toss coins Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, at the Basa Air Base Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief warehouse, symbolizing good fortune for the new building.<br>Courtesy U.S. Embassy
U.S. Ambassador Sung Y. Kim and Philippine Defense Secretary Dlfin Lorenzana toss coins Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, at the Basa Air Base Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief warehouse, symbolizing good fortune for the new building.<br>Courtesy U.S. Embassy

Facility for US forces opens on Philippines’ main island; another slated for Palawan

The newly opened warehouse is about 15 miles from Clark Air Base, which was America’s largest overseas military installation before it closed following severe damage after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

An air traffic controller with the 374th Operations Support Squadron looks out from the control tower at Yokota Air Base, Japan, June 4, 2017.<br>Yasuo Osakabe/U.S. Air Force photo
An air traffic controller with the 374th Operations Support Squadron looks out from the control tower at Yokota Air Base, Japan, June 4, 2017.<br>Yasuo Osakabe/U.S. Air Force photo

US military, Japanese government agree to let civilian flights share Yokota airspace for Olympics

Japanese officials plan to use the airspace to increase capacity at Haneda International Airport, one of two major gateways for visitors to the Japanese capital.

U.S. servicemembers help clean up an elementary school in Ishinomaki, Japan, April 2, 2011, after an earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan.<br>Nathan Bailey/Stars and Stripes
U.S. servicemembers help clean up an elementary school in Ishinomaki, Japan, April 2, 2011, after an earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan.<br>Nathan Bailey/Stars and Stripes

Airmen re-enact disaster response as ‘Fukushima 50’ filming takes off at Yokota

Airmen at Yokota Air Base were given special permission to work as extras in the film, which tells the story of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant workers who mounted a heroic effort to bring damaged reactors under control after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Information Systems Technician 1 Joseph Bruce takes donated items from the food pantry at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019.<br>Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes
Information Systems Technician 1 Joseph Bruce takes donated items from the food pantry at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019.<br>Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes

Far from home, unpaid Coast Guard members in Japan visit food pantry for essentials

Coast Guard members around the Yokota pantry can take as many expired grocery items as they want and up to two bags of other items — one bag more than is usually allowed — each week.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, right, poses with Anthony Maggert on the side of Interstate 495 near Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. The Good Samaritan stopped to help the retired four-star Army general change a flat tire.<br>via Facebook
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, right, poses with Anthony Maggert on the side of Interstate 495 near Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. The Good Samaritan stopped to help the retired four-star Army general change a flat tire.<br>via Facebook

Colin Powell praises man who lost leg in Afghanistan for roadside assistance

Anthony Maggert — a self-described Marine Corps veteran who walks with the aid of a prosthesis — got a surprise when a motorist he stopped to help turned out to be retired four-star Army Gen. Colin Powell.

Drivers wait to cross the active runway at Yokota Air Base, Japan, in 2016. Lights control ground traffic crossing the runway, where, at any given time, one of the 374th Airlift Wing's C-130J Super Hercules transports might be landing or taking off.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
Drivers wait to cross the active runway at Yokota Air Base, Japan, in 2016. Lights control ground traffic crossing the runway, where, at any given time, one of the 374th Airlift Wing's C-130J Super Hercules transports might be landing or taking off.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

Yokota begins $5.2 million road project to keep motorists from stopping for aircraft

A $5.2 million road construction project at the home of U.S. Forces Japan will eventually allow motorists to drive across the base without giving way to aircraft, Air Force officials said.

U.S. Forces Japan said Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, that it planned to edit an online video to clarify that North Korea is not recognized as a nuclear state.<br>Screenshot from YouTube
U.S. Forces Japan said Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, that it planned to edit an online video to clarify that North Korea is not recognized as a nuclear state.<br>Screenshot from YouTube

USFJ plans video edit to clarify that it doesn’t recognize North Korea as a nuclear state

The United States does not recognize North Korea as a nuclear state, a U.S. Forces Japan spokesman said Friday, clarifying an online video in which the command refers to the communist country as one of three nuclear-armed nations in the Far East.

An F-16C Fighting Falcon assigned to the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan, is seen at Sam Ratulangi International Airport, Indonesia, March 20, 2018.<br>Richard Ebensberger/U.S. Air Force photo
An F-16C Fighting Falcon assigned to the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan, is seen at Sam Ratulangi International Airport, Indonesia, March 20, 2018.<br>Richard Ebensberger/U.S. Air Force photo

No injuries, damage after Misawa-based fighter jet loses plastic part during flight

The part fell at about 12:20 p.m. west of the Hakkoda Mountains and south of Aomori City before the pilot landed without incident back at Misawa, according to officials.

Japanese filmmaker Nobuyuki Kajikawa, shown here on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, shows illustrations of scenes from a movie slated to be filmed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, on Jan. 28. <br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
Japanese filmmaker Nobuyuki Kajikawa, shown here on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, shows illustrations of scenes from a movie slated to be filmed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, on Jan. 28. <br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

Filmmakers seek Yokota airmen to serve as extras in ‘Fukushima 50,’ starring Ken Watanabe

“Fukushima 50” tells the story of powerplant workers who mounted a heroic effort to bring the damaged reactors under control after they were struck by a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

High above Sapporo, Mount Moiwa offers an epic view of the city to enjoy with family, friends and significant others.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
High above Sapporo, Mount Moiwa offers an epic view of the city to enjoy with family, friends and significant others.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

Enjoy stunning views of Sapporo atop Hokkaido’s Mount Moiwa

If you fare well in cold weather, or own enough warm clothing, you can experience some spectacular views of Hokkaido’s largest city from the summit of Mount Moiwa.

An F-16 Fighting Falcon soars over Draughon Range near Misawa Air Base, Japan, Oct. 12, 2018.<br>Xiomara Martinez/U.S. Air Force photo
An F-16 Fighting Falcon soars over Draughon Range near Misawa Air Base, Japan, Oct. 12, 2018.<br>Xiomara Martinez/U.S. Air Force photo

Leaky seal to blame for fighter jet’s precautionary landing in northern Japan

An Air Force F-16D Fighting Falcon assigned to Misawa Air Base in northern Japan was forced to make the precautionary landing at a Japanese regional airport Monday.

An aircraft participates in Keen Sword drills between the Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Nov. 1, 2018.<br>Sadie Colbert/U.S. Air Force
An aircraft participates in Keen Sword drills between the Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Nov. 1, 2018.<br>Sadie Colbert/U.S. Air Force

Misawa-based F-16 makes precautionary landing at Japanese airport

An Air Force F-16 fighter jet made a precautionary landing at a Japanese regional airport Monday, according to a Tohoku Defense Bureau spokesman.

A tourist boat drifts in front of a massive commercial vessel near Baloy Beach in Subic Bay, Philippines, in March 2015.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
A tourist boat drifts in front of a massive commercial vessel near Baloy Beach in Subic Bay, Philippines, in March 2015.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

Pair of Chinese firms eye Subic Bay shipyard, causing alarm in the Philippines

The Chinese are seeking a commercial foothold in a strategic port that was once the United States’ largest naval facility in the Far East.

Trucks carrying DF-26 missiles are seen in this undated photo from China's state-run Xinhua News Agency.<br>Courtesy of Xinhua
Trucks carrying DF-26 missiles are seen in this undated photo from China's state-run Xinhua News Agency.<br>Courtesy of Xinhua

China mobilizes anti-ship missiles after Navy patrol in South China Sea

China has mobilized a missile designed to target American warships following a patrol by a Navy destroyer through disputed waters in the South China Sea, according to a state-run broadcaster.

Sapporo Beer Garden serves the “Genghis Khan," a traditional Hokkaido barbecue of fresh lamb and vegetables cooked on your table in a metal skillet.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes
Sapporo Beer Garden serves the “Genghis Khan," a traditional Hokkaido barbecue of fresh lamb and vegetables cooked on your table in a metal skillet.<br>Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes

Japan’s oldest beer company offers specialty brews and food at Hokkaido's Sapporo Beer Garden

In order to sample Sapporo Beer's best brews, however, you’ll have to travel to Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, where Sapporo began producing its famous eponymous beer in 1876.

U.S. Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen Jerry Martinez speaks with reporters at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019.<br>Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes
U.S. Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen Jerry Martinez speaks with reporters at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019.<br>Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes

US forces must keep training hard in Japan, commander says after deadly midair collision

United States forces in the Far East need to train hard at night and in bad weather to deter adversaries, America’s top general in Japan told local reporters Wednesday.

A KC-130J Super Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 takes off from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, July 15, 2014.<br>Luis Rodriguez/U.S. Marine Corps
A KC-130J Super Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 takes off from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, July 15, 2014.<br>Luis Rodriguez/U.S. Marine Corps

Navy may have detected signals from Marine tanker, jet after midair collision off Japan

The Navy appears to have detected “pingers” from a KC-130J tanker and F/A-18D Hornet involved in a deadly midair collision last month off Japan’s southern coast, according to III Marine Expeditionary Force.

If traveling on official business, U.S. military personnel are exempt from Japan's new 1,000-yen departure tax.<br>Courtesy of Pixabay
If traveling on official business, U.S. military personnel are exempt from Japan's new 1,000-yen departure tax.<br>Courtesy of Pixabay

Servicemembers won’t have to pay Japan’s new departure tax if on official travel

Starting Monday, Japan will charge travelers 1,000 yen, or about $9.25, each time they leave the country by aircraft or ship.

Renovations will transform 140 two- and three-bedroom apartments at Yokota Air Base, Japan, into two-bedroom dorms, 374th Airlift Wing spokeswoman Capt. Alicia Premo said Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. <br>Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes
Renovations will transform 140 two- and three-bedroom apartments at Yokota Air Base, Japan, into two-bedroom dorms, 374th Airlift Wing spokeswoman Capt. Alicia Premo said Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. <br>Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes

Air Force spending nearly $27M to turn vacant Yokota apartments into dorms

The renovations will transform 140 two- and three-bedroom apartments, built by the Japanese government decades ago, into two-bedroom dorms for airmen.

A Chinese military expert recently suggested testing American willpower in the South China Sea by sinking a pair of aircraft carriers, such as the USS Ronald Reagan, shown here Aug. 31, 2018.<br>Kaila V. Peters/U.S. Navy
A Chinese military expert recently suggested testing American willpower in the South China Sea by sinking a pair of aircraft carriers, such as the USS Ronald Reagan, shown here Aug. 31, 2018.<br>Kaila V. Peters/U.S. Navy

Many Chinese think Americans lack resolve to prevail in battle, expert says

Too many in China think the United States will cut and run if war breaks out in the Far East, a U.S. defense expert warned Wednesday in response to threats by a Chinese war hawk.