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USAF, Koku Jieitai sign declaration of spirit of cooperation

  • Published
  • By Capt. AnnMarie Annicelli
  • 5th Air Force
YOKOTA AB, Japan --  

U.S. Air Force and Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self Defense Force) senior leaders signed a declaration of spirit of cooperation July 10, 2018, at the 5th Air Force Headquarters, Yokota Air Base, Japan.

Division representatives within the Koku Jieitai Air Staff Office, Koku Jieitai Air Defense Command, Pacific Air Forces and 5th Air Force signed the declaration in an effort to increase bilateral aircraft maintenance, supply and transportation capabilities of both nations’ air forces.

According to Colonel Dan Lockert, Pacific Air Forces, Director of Logistics Plans Division, “The Spirit of Cooperation between Japan's Koku-Jieitai, Pacific Air Forces and 5th Air Force will reinforce our alliance while shaping mutual cooperation and interoperability between our Air Forces.”

The signing of the declaration of spirit of cooperation initiates a five-year plan to increase interoperability between 5th Air Force and Koku Jieitai through bilateral exchanges and training opportunities. 

Colonel Doug Gilpin, 5th Air Force Director of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection added, “The 5-year plan is a result of several years of hard work by our staffs, and now provides us a solid framework to further our logistics and maintenance interoperability through a host of bilateral exchanges that will grow in both frequency and complexity over the coming years.”

“This signing event is not our end goal, but the start of a long-term relationship to enhance US-Japan cooperation and make it effective. We need to always think what is needed and what we can do for our end goal, and take action. It is necessary to build upon what we learn together and increase our common capabilities over time,” said Colonel Yuichi TOKUSHIGE, Director, Logistics Planning Division, Koku Jieitai Air Staff Office.

Events such as the signing of the declaration of spirit of cooperation continues to strengthen this partnership and demonstrate the commitment from both U.S. Air Force and Koku Jieitai to expand areas of collaboration.  

“I believe the signing of ‘spirit of cooperation’ and five-year plan between U.S. and Japanese logistics is an important milestone in the sense of further deepening the bilateral relationship. Hereafter, what I hope is U.S. Pacific Air Force, 5th Air Force and Koku-Jieitai personnel will be more closely working and stronger ties between the two countries’ logistics will be forged,” Col. Kenichiro HIYAMA, Director, Logistics Directorate, Koku Jieitai Air Defense Command, added.

For more than six decades, the U.S.-Japan alliance has been the cornerstone of stability and security in Northeast Asia.