FLEACT Yokosuka opens its gates, celebrates 37th Annual Friendship Day

Photo By Paul Long | (Left) Charlie Gann, a senior linebacker at Niles C. Kinnick High School, assists Minori Tanaka in trying on a football helmet and shoulder pads during the 37th annual Friendship Day festivities at Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, Aug. 3. Friendship Day highlights the relationship between the U.S. Navy and the Japanese people, and gives them a chance to experience American culture in their own back yard.  

YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

08.03.2013

Story by Paul Long 

Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

YOKOSUKA, Japan - On a clear, bright, sunny Saturday morning, Fleet Activities (FLEACT), Yokosuka opened its gates to the local community to celebrate its 37th Annual Friendship Day, Aug. 3.

Friendship Day, a symbolic event that highlights the friendship between the U.S. Navy and the Japanese people, gives the local community an opportunity to see and experience American culture in their own back yard.

According to FLEACT, Yokosuka Security Department representatives, approximately 40,000 people visited the base.
Festivities formally opened with speeches from FLEACT, Yokosuka Commanding Officer, Capt. David Owen, , Yokosuka City Mayor Yuto Yoshida, and South Kanto Defense Bureau Director General Hiroshi, Marui.

This was Owens’s fourth Friendship Day as commanding officer.
“Three years ago, when I was standing up here looking at this crowd, I just saw a sea of strangers,” Owen said during his remarks. “Today, I see friends and neighbors.”

Amongst the Japanese community, visiting the base on Friendship Day is a highly anticipated event.

“Thanks to Yokosuka’s Friendship Day, this lively event has become a great opportunity for U.S. and Japan exchange,” Yoshida said.

According to Christina Newman, special events co-coordinator for Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR), Friendship Day is collaboration between the base and the city of Yokosuka.
“Everybody really comes together, as far as our MWR team (to prepare for this event),” Newman said. “And we reach out to the (Japanese) community to help us with entertainment, and we work with Yokosuka City Hall to get the word out in the local community. The city actually puts together a fireworks show and they let everyone know that the best place to watch it is on base.”

Minori Tanaka, from nearby Yokohama, visited Friendship Day for the first time since her childhood.

“I liked the variety of foods and I especially enjoyed the hot dogs,” Tanaka said. “I also think Americans are very nice and friendly. I’m having a really nice time.”

Tanaka and her mother also tried on a football helmet and shoulder pads at a booth sponsored by the Kinnick High School Football Boosters Association.

Stages were set up at different locations on base hosting local rock and jazz bands and various hip hop dance groups. Community groups and commands had booths with a variety of foods and souvenirs for sale.

A couple of sporting events that also took place during the festival were a bodybuilding contest and a car show.

In an eight team softball tournament, a local team, Yoko Mix, took the top prize and the team comprised of several FLEACT, Yokosuka commands, the “Old Dawgs”, came in second.

The final event of the day was a fireworks display co-sponsored by the base and Yokosuka city.

• Date Taken: 08.03.2013
• Date Posted: 08.23.2013 03:39
• Story ID: 112462
• Location: YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP