picture of the day

Disaster response

27 Comments

U.S. Army Capt Daniel Rowland, left, and U.S. Army Capt William Wilson, talk with Chihoko Kiya of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force during a meeting at the SDF Asaka Base in Saitama, on Thursday. The U.S. military took part in the annual disaster drill conducted by the SDF for the first time. Around 15 members of the U.S. Army stationed at Camp Zama participated in a communication drill with Japanese forces to improve information management in the event of a disaster.

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Woman: "So this just release Final Fantasy 28, I'm exciting to show you".

2 ( +5 / -4 )

This drill may prove to be of great value in a disaster.

ultradork - Har!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

So the men have a rank, but the woman doesn't?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

What's up with not showing her rank in the article?

Anycase, her collar tab shows she's a Major in the SDF.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

And I'm sure she also has good english skills.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

That is Major Chihoko Kiya of Japan`s Ground Self-Defense Force!

And I am sure that the 15 members of the U.S. Army were using Japanese during the communication drill with Japanese forces, in Japan... Right?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

And I am sure that the 15 members of the U.S. Army were using Japanese during the communication drill with Japanese forces, in Japan... Right?

Interesting point. When foreigners comment how terrible "the Japanese" are at learning a foreign language like English, they overlook those who are completely fluent, yet modestly claim they are not. Yet I come across foreigners who bignote themselves because they speak Japanese.

My opinion is this. Live in Japan? Well, of course you speak Japanese. Just like immigrants to my country learn to speak the locally used language. As for "the Japanese", they'll learn to speak other languages well if it suits them. They just don't go on about it so much.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Back on topic please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Unless the system is in english I'm not thinking the US troops would be able to use it, unless she is showing them some sort of website they publish?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Hopefully this will allow all kinds of aid Japan will have no reason to refuse/dither about again next time

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Would be nice to know to what language they are conversing in. My guess, as with the other posters above, is that it is English. If you don't know, fair enough.

Anybody in either the US or Japanese armed forces who can help? Which language is normally used? Are there far more English speakers in the Japanese defence forces than Japanese speakers in the US military? I would think so but would not draw any smartass conclusions from this. English is the more commonly use language internationally. Be interesting is this is not true though.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

When working with allied military nations the working language is English, though French can be used at times to as a secondary language.

I've met high ranking Japanese SDF members who speak English at a very high level, generally the officers.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Thanks for that Badge213.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

French has never been used by U.S. military when holding bilateral/joint operations in Japan with the JSDF. English is the default for U.S. Armed Forces personnel -because they have little urgency to learn their host-nation's language and automatically assume that JMSF personnel should speak English, specially in shared bases like NAF Atsugi and Camp Zama.

As for the rank equating to the fluency of spoken English that is dependent on the individual. I have JMSDF friends both enlisted and officer, and rank and English fluency are seldom consistent.

As for the Disaster Response, or rather, Disaster Preparedness... these types of joind ventures seldom flourish. U.S. personnel tend to transfer frequently. I personally know that Naval personnel at CFAY and Japanese FDMA personnel have occasional "drills" and even sometimes involve TFD and local municipal hospitals. But, in the end it means little more than PR.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

That Japanese Major looks boss

rank and English fluency are seldom consistent.

Neither is the salary the last time I checked.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Military co-operation is great for cross cultural exchange, something you don't see much of in military organisations because they are made up of mainly one ethnicity.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'd be surprised to hear French used in this case but I'd imagine both forces have French speakers, in fact trained specifically for that purpose. But I'd hardly expect all members of either force to multilingual.

My impression is that there is a great deal of cooperation between US and Japanese forces. The US forces certainly helped during the aftermath of the disasters in Tohoku last year. Are you telling me that was all for the cameras?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Ayler

I think Japan accepted a lot of aid last year. I recall recent photos of members of the US military, amongst others, get heartfelt and official thanks.

Sometimes things get better over in time. It's not good to dwell on negative things that have happended in the past,

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My father used to drive me there all time from Yokohama when I was a kid in the 50's. Zama base has sure changed. US-Japan relations as its best.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

JapanToday,

As others have noted, it's extraordinarily not to refer to Major Kiya by her rank. I'm sure disrespect was not intended, but you should correct the error.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

that should read "extraordinarily rude"

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@reformedbasher. That's why I said hopefully, I'm optimistic. Dwell is such an emotive word don't you think? There is a difference between dwelling on mistakes and remembering them as a learning experience. Hence this is the first time US military have been invited to SDF drill. Things can only get better innit.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Being a communication drill with Japanese and American Forces some of those there are most likely Linguists. US military members who are trained as liguists go to the Defense Language Institute where they learn everything about a language even different accents. I'm not sure where the JSDF has its Language Institute. So to answer the of what they are speaking- both English and Japanese, and November-Alpha-Tango-Oscar

Yes alot of the US military does not learn Japanese in the 2 year tour they are in Japan, and not all JSDF members speak english. I will put money on anyone who works in Communication between the forces is very good at both... after all thats their job......

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@ReformedB... who said anything about "aid". I am speaking about joint drills. And, the answer is YES (its for the cameras).... these are mostly a dog-n-pony show that lead to little more than hot air being exhaled.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

To be fair the JSDF don't use military ranks at all. They use ordinal rank substitutes for both company and field grade officers.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@A+b/a=a/b≡?

I'm just after information. I was under the impression there was significant cooperation but to what point I do now know as I'm not involved with either force or know anybody in them. That's why I'm asking.

I do know what I saw on the news about US forces helping last year. I have no problem in understanding the difference between military drills and aid. Although, aid on such a scale would hint at a level of cooperation just considering the logistics involved.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Although, aid on such a scale would hint at a level of cooperation just considering the logistics involved.

You would think.... but it is not the case. Rare is the time when the U.S. Forces here in Japan allow JMSDF personnel to function in any capacity within the logistical chain. Aid is a rapid deployment of "stores" and activation of teams that have train for such matters -without JMSDF. These teams are rapid deployed teams that can respond to different types of situations and to nations outside of Japan. Don't assume that cooperation is part of the formula from looking at a picture.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

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