A sailor assigned to American Forces Network broadcasts a morning radio show at Sasebo Naval Base, Japan, Aug. 19, 2020. (Geoffrey Barham/U.S. Navy)
American Forces Network will officially launch FM radio service at Sasebo Naval Base on Wednesday, becoming the first AFN station in Japan outside Okinawa to broadcast on the frequency.
The debut of 93.1 FM follows a three-month test run under Japanese regulatory oversight. The signal significantly expands the station’s reach beyond the base, replacing a weak AM broadcast that barely extended to a nearby housing area.
“This decade-long achievement is going to be celebrated with a live countdown on the air and we’re all looking forward to that,” AFN Pacific deputy director Scott Williams said by phone May 15.
The FM signal will carry the station’s existing programming, including live morning and afternoon shows, local traffic, weather updates, Top 40 music from the United States, and features from other AFN stations in Iwakuni, Tokyo, Okinawa and Misawa.
The 1575 AM signal reaches only the base, station manager Chief Petty Officer Chris Liaghat said by phone May 16. The FM upgrade follows the installation of a new radio tower to replace three temporary antennas.
“When I first got here, the big tower was down. We had three small temporary antennas, and they barely reached a kilometer,” he said. “Basically, one antenna covered main base, and the other two antennas barely covered the two housing areas and that was it.”
The Sasebo FM frequency is the first for AFN in the Pacific since AFN Okinawa was established 70 years ago, Williams added.
“The only reason we have FM in Okinawa is because it used to be an American territory,” he said. “We’re setting the standard — we’re going to bring FM to other stations in Japan, which will augment our AFN Go, AFN Now, radio and TV apps.”
The switch also brings financial benefits, Williams noted.
“AM is very expensive,” he said. “FM is not as expensive and by a long shot. So, we’re looking to be smart about this and save money.”
Liaghat said the FM launch was made possible through the cooperation of U.S. Forces Japan, the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Far East Sasebo Detachment, AFN Pacific and Defense Media Activity.
Representatives from the communications ministry are expected to present the station with its new authorization live on air following the launch countdown, which is set to begin at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
“We also have a couple of representatives from AFN Pacific, and we’ve invited the base commander to come out as well,” Liaghat said. “We’ll count down to a big announcement, and then once we hit zero, we’ll announce to everybody that we are broadcasting over FM radio and let them know that they can tune their radios to FM 93.1.”
AFN Pacific plans to expand FM broadcasting to other stations in Japan, including Tokyo, Iwakuni and Misawa, Williams said.
