USFJ leader: Bond with Japan strengthening

[unhappycamper]

Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright, commander of U.S. Forces Japan and the 5th Air Force, talks Monday about the strengthening relationship between the U.S. and Japanese militaries. Wright said exercises such as Keen Sword and Keen Edge have made the two militaries much more interoperable than in the past.


USFJ leader: Bond with Japan strengthening
By Teri Weaver, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, January 10, 2008

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Planned military moves by both the U.S. and Japanese forces remain on schedule, including changes that will put Japan’s air defense headquarters at Yokota and will move a Navy air wing south to Iwakuni, according to the commander of U.S. Forces Japan.

Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright talked about these upcoming changes this week as he praised what he called the strengthening relationship between the two countries.

“I think we can expect to build on that success in the future,” said Wright, who will leave the command in February after three years as the top U.S. officer in Japan.

Wright said that Japan’s decision to continue paying for the U.S. presence here has helped ensure quality-of-life standards for servicemembers and their families.

Early last year, Japan officials had balked at continuing to pay for U.S. utilities and new buildings in an effort to trim their own national budget. In the end, the two countries negotiated a three-year agreement that kept the Japanese contributions close to past levels.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51512