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OKINAWA SUNTORY ARENA, Okinawa, Japan – Early into the afternoon of Saturday, January 17, 2026, a thrumming crowd of students, teachers, mentors, and military musicians stand at the center of the Okinawa Suntory Arena as they prepare for the Japan – U.S. Joint Concert.
The event was hosted by the Okinawa Defense Bureau, Ministry of Defense, and featured performances from local middle schools, the III Marine Expeditionary Force Band, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 15th Brigade Band, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Southwestern Band. The Marines performed alongside the attending bands to build and strengthen their relationships with the local community and their partners.
“This type of relations-building shows the Japanese and American public that we can not only coexist together, but thrive and succeed together as well,” said Gunnery Sgt. Joshua Waldie, a production manager with the III Marine Expeditionary Force Band.
The concert was the culmination of the Okinawa Defense Bureau Music Festival; a week-long event which held clinics and master classes with the attending local schools and military musicians. The Marines worked alongside their partner services, participating and providing mentorship for the student musicians.
“The most rewarding part of our task and purpose here in Okinawa are the deep and meaningful friendships we have built along the way,” said Waldie. The bands built upon and honed their musicianship skills throughout the week, and then the event opened to the public for two days of free admittance performances over the weekend.
Families and supporters alike gathered to attend the event. The concert was held as a series of performances to highlight the attending bands, and for some of these the bands played alongside each other.
The concert opened with a joint performance by the attending military bands where they played the national anthems of Japan and the United States. Later in the event, the Marines performed with the Ryukyu Middle School Band, whose attending students have U.S. military connection.. To close the show, all of the bands joined together for the final performance, showcasing the musicians’ hard work, dedication, and unity. When asked about the impacts of concerts like this Waldie responded, “we will forever hold these people, the music, and the memories in our hearts and minds.” He added that because of these performances the Marines would “benefit [from] having lasting and meaningful friendships with our partners and allies for years to come.”
| Date Taken: | 01.28.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.28.2026 21:31 |
| Story ID: | 557015 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, U.S. Marine band plays in Japan – U.S. Joint Concert, by SSgt Shannon Doherty, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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