by Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez
Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs
8/9/2011 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) -- Japanese Maj. Gen. Jun Nagashima, Director J-4, Joint Staff, Ministry of Defense, toured the Hickam side of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Aug. 1 - 5.
The visit included a tour of the C-17 Globemaster simulator, static display, and a command overview briefing.
According to Col. Mark McLeod, Director of Logistics, Pacific Air Forces, strategic engagements such as this one, are very important to Pacific Air Forces, Pacific Command, and to the Department of Defense.
"What it [strategic engagements] allows us to do is to expand our capability," said McLeod. "I think Operation Tomodachi was a great example of that."
The U.S. Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force relationship is a key component of the overall bilateral goal to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific Region, according to McLeod
"I think that strategic engagement is going to be an ever more prominent piece of how we deal effectively with our responsibilities out in the theater," he said. "With shrinking budgets in the future, somehow, through our cooperation, we are still going to need to find ways to support all the missions and all of the requirements we know are going to be out there."
Nagashima's original plan to visit in late March was postponed due to the Tohoku Earthquake and tsunami disaster.
Nagashima expressed his gratefulness for the joint support that was given during Operation Tomodachi.
