Announcements | Oct 27, 2016
JUMP joins with Embassy to celebrate Self Defense Forces Day
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| JUMP joins with Embassy to celebrate Self Defense Forces Day |
| 62nd Japan SDF Day Reception to also mark 5 years since Operation Tomodachi |
| WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the occasion of the Japan Self Defense Forces 62nd anniversary, Sasakawa USA’s Japan-US Military Program (JUMP) is excited to join with the Embassy of Japan to celebrate the accomplishments both countries have achieved together over the past year. The reception, hosted for members of the U.S. defense community in industry, academia, and government, will be held at the Ambassador’s Residence on Thursday, October 27 at 6 p.m.
This year marks the 5th anniversary of Operation Tomodachi (Operation Friend), a U.S. Armed Forces assistance program enacted to support disaster relief in Japan following the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster. According to the Embassy, the quick and steadfast support of the U.S. Armed Forces following the disaster is something that Japanese people remain thankful for, even to this day. This gesture of friendship and support was memorialized at a permanent exhibition in the Pentagon in March 2016. JUMP is excited to attend the event to honor the U.S.-Japan defense community while also bringing more awareness to our program. JUMP is a collaborative effort between Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA and the Embassy of Japan that seeks to connect past and present service members, families, and government civilians who have served in Japan. We look forward to expanding and further developing the JUMP program as it enters its second year with more events in the D.C. metropolitan area. The reception also will feature a prerecorded personalized video from The Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) Central Band, featuring the national anthems of Japan and the U.S. with photographs and video of the collaborative efforts of the U.S. and Japan forces. Representatives of Japan’s Defense Industries (including Fujitsu, Mitsubishi and Hitachi) also will be at the event showcasing models of their latest defense equipment. Distinguished guests to the program will include Rear Admiral Yuki Sekiguchi, the Defense and Naval Attaché at the Embassy of Japan in Washington D.C. ; The Honorable Ken-Ichiro Sasae, Ambassador of Japan to the U.S; and Dr. Janine Davidson, Under Secretary of the Navy. For questions about the JUMP Program, please contact Christa Desrets, Communications Manager with Sasakawa USA, at cdesrets@spfusa.org or (202) 296-6694 ext. 118. For inquiries related to attending SDF Day, please contact Susan Berhane with the Embassy of Japan at publicaffairs@ws.mofa.go.jp or (202) 238-6700. |
About JUMP: www.JUMProgram.org The Japan U.S. Military Program (JUMP) connects past and present service members, families, and government civilians who have served in Japan. Through social networks and events, JUMP builds relationships and provides opportunities for service members to engage with each other. JUMP provides a powerful foundation for sustaining the solid alliance between the U.S. and Japan. JUMP is a collaborative venture of Sasakawa USA, the Embassy of Japan in the United States, and the National Association of Japan-America Societies. About Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA: www.SPFUSA.org Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA is an independent American, non-profit, non-partisan, institution devoted to research, analysis, and better understanding of the U.S.-Japan relationship. Through research and education programs, Sasakawa USA facilitates people-to-people exchange and dialogue between American and Japanese policymakers, influential citizens, and the broader public. |
