PM Kan visits JSDF and service members at Ishanomaki High School

Photo By Sgt. Derek Kuhn | New Orleans native, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Austin, the command sergeant major for the 10th Support Group, bows in reverance as he shakes the hand of Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan during Kan's visit to Ishanomaki City's high school, April 10. Kan visited the school and took time to shake hands and voice his appreciation of the U.S.'s support in the wake of the level 9.1 earthquake and the ensuing tsunami, March 11.  

AICHI, JAPAN

04.10.2011

Story by Sgt. Derek Kuhn 

U.S. Army Japan

ISHANOMKI JAPAN—Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan visited Ishanomaki High School to assess the progress made by Japanese Self Defense Forces and the U.S. Military in clearing the outside of the school of debris in Ishanomaki City on April 10.

Ishanomaki High School is one of 12 schools the U.S. Military and JSDF are cleaning in an effort to get children of the tsunami ravaged portions of north eastern Japan back in school.

Wahiawa, Hawaii, native, Army Col. Lance Koenig, the commander of the 10th Support Group out of Okinawa, Japan, said that Kan was very pleased with what he saw at Ishanomaki High School.

“The prime minister was very impressed,” Koenig said, “with the long hours and hard work our soldiers have put in to the relief and reconstruction efforts. He (Kan) gave thanks to the soldiers.”

Japanese Ground Self Defense Force Maj. Gen. Satoshi Fukuda, deputy commander of the 6th Division, JGSDF, agreed with Koenig and spoke of Kan’s appreciation for U.S. forces.

“He (Kan) was very pleased with the U.S. soldiers,” Fukuda said. “That is why he took time to shake the soldiers hands, so he could look them in the eyes and tell them how much their help means to the Japanese people.”

Though the soldiers hard work in the relief efforts means a great deal to Kan and the citizens of Japan, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Austin, the command sergeant major for the 10th SG, said helping the people of Japan might mean more to the Soldiers on the ground.

“There are a lot of soldiers who want to play a part in making life easier for these people,” said Austin, a native of New Orleans. “They are highly motivated to make an impact here. Both the Japanese people and the American soldier have been really inspiring here.”

• Date Taken: 04.10.2011
• Date Posted: 04.11.2011 10:51
• Story ID: 68574
• Location: AICHI, JP