Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Dancing toward unity - Children with the School Age Center attend a Kagura dance performance at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, July 15, 2019. The Aozora Kids Kagura Association, based out of Hiroshima City, visited MCAS Iwakuni to give Japanese and American children a way to interact with each other and to show the American children a piece of traditional Japanese culture. This was the 3rd annual visit the association has made to MCAS Iwakuni. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Stephen Campbell)

Air station residents experience flavor of local culture - Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni and local Japanese residents attend a cooking class during the 8th Annual Culture Day at Tsuzu Elementary School in Tsuzu Town, Japan, Dec. 1, 2018. Families and service members from MCAS Iwakuni visited the school with the Marine Corps Community Services Youth and Teen Center and Cultural Adaptation Program in order to learn more about Japanese traditions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Andrew Jones)

Col. Richard F. Fuerst, station commanding officer for Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, addresses station residents and Japanese locals during the U.S-Japan Children Soccer event at the Suo-Oshima Athletic Field in Suo-Oshima, Japan, Oct. 1, 2016. As part of a good keeping with the U.S.-Japan relationship, soccer was used to break the barrier of communication through words and teach children communication through actions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego) - Col. Richard F. Fuerst, station commanding officer for Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, addresses station residents and Japanese locals during the U.S-Japan Children Soccer event at the Suo-Oshima Athletic Field in Suo-Oshima, Japan, Oct. 1, 2016. As part of a good keeping with the U.S.-Japan relationship, soccer was used to break the barrier of communication through words and teach children communication through actions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

U.S. Navy Sailors of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni pose for a photo after volunteering at Ekimae Hoikuen preschool in Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 8, 2016. The Sailors volunteered with the Marine Memorial Chapel in a project to assist the school in completing required maintenance during an ongoing community relations project. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego) - U.S. Navy Sailors of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni pose for a photo after volunteering at Ekimae Hoikuen preschool in Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 8, 2016. The Sailors volunteered with the Marine Memorial Chapel in a project to assist the school in completing required maintenance during an ongoing community relations project. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph Abrego)

A student from Matthew C. Perry Elementary School receives a toy firefighting helmet during the Back to School Bash at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 26, 2016. This school year will mark the last first day of school for students at the old M.C. Perry buildings. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Aaron Henson) - A student from Matthew C. Perry Elementary School receives a toy firefighting helmet during the Back to School Bash at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 26, 2016. This school year will mark the last first day of school for students at the old M.C. Perry buildings. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Aaron Henson)

Sgt. Isaac Ross, aircraft rescue firefighter with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, helps a child with the fire hose during Junior Recruit Day at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 8, 2016. Junior Recruit Day allowed the children of service member’s assigned Marine Aircraft Group 12 to get a first-hand look at what their military parent’s experiences on a daily basis. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Antonio J. Rubio) - Sgt. Isaac Ross, aircraft rescue firefighter with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, helps a child with the fire hose during Junior Recruit Day at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 8, 2016. Junior Recruit Day allowed the children of service member’s assigned Marine Aircraft Group 12 to get a first-hand look at what their military parent’s experiences on a daily basis. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Antonio J. Rubio)

Matthew C. Perry Elementary and High School students on Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, and Japanese students from the surrounding area participated in the 6th Annual Friendship Concert at Sinfonia Iwakuni Concert Hall, Iwakuni City, Feb. 20, 2016. The students practiced together weekly in preparation for the concert. Events like these allow the children of both nations to learn to work together despite language barriers and tighten the friendship between the U.S. and Japan. - Matthew C. Perry Elementary and High School students on Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, and Japanese students from the surrounding area participated in the 6th Annual Friendship Concert at Sinfonia Iwakuni Concert Hall, Iwakuni City, Feb. 20, 2016. The students practiced together weekly in preparation for the concert. Events like these allow the children of both nations to learn to work together despite language barriers and tighten the friendship between the U.S. and Japan.

Marines and children dance during the Mini-Marine Corps Ball in the Club Iwakuni ballroom at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 23, 2015. Children dressed up, danced, ate and experienced a Marine Corps tradition during the event. The children, ranging from 5 to 12 years old, were afforded the opportunity to learn about the traditions of the Marine Corps Ball including, the cake cutting ceremony where the oldest and youngest Marine present are presented the first slice of cake. - Marines and children dance during the Mini-Marine Corps Ball in the Club Iwakuni ballroom at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 23, 2015. Children dressed up, danced, ate and experienced a Marine Corps tradition during the event. The children, ranging from 5 to 12 years old, were afforded the opportunity to learn about the traditions of the Marine Corps Ball including, the cake cutting ceremony where the oldest and youngest Marine present are presented the first slice of cake.

Service members teach Japanese students English at Josho Hoikuen in Iwakuni City, Japan, during a community relations preschool event conducted by the Marine Memorial Chapel aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Feb. 10, 2015. Whenever Americans visit the students flip their name tag over so that the English translation is showing. - Service members teach Japanese students English at Josho Hoikuen in Iwakuni City, Japan, during a community relations preschool event conducted by the Marine Memorial Chapel aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Feb. 10, 2015. Whenever Americans visit the students flip their name tag over so that the English translation is showing.

Students at Nishiki Seiryu Elementary School practice Japanese calligraphy Jan. 23, 2015. Teaching to write Japanese calligraphy is similar to learning to write cursive in the U.S. - Students at Nishiki Seiryu Elementary School practice Japanese calligraphy Jan. 23, 2015. Teaching to write Japanese calligraphy is similar to learning to write cursive in the U.S.