Brian McElhiney
@brianmcelhiney.bsky.social
Reporter for Stars and Stripes, covering the U.S. military on Okinawa, Japan. Shares are not endorsements.
Ginowan city in central Okinawa will test its water for “forever chemicals” after residents discovered a white foam oozing from a manhole near a Marine Corps airfield on Thursday.
Foaming manhole near Marine air station on Okinawa sparks PFAS probe
An Okinawa city will test its water for “forever chemicals” after residents discovered a white foam oozing from a manhole near a Marine Corps airfield.
www.stripes.com
January 30, 2026 at 8:28 AM
Ginowan city in central Okinawa will test its water for “forever chemicals” after residents discovered a white foam oozing from a manhole near a Marine Corps airfield on Thursday.
A Japanese court has awarded about $16.3 million to Okinawans affected by Kadena Air Base aircraft noise, the latest ruling in a long-running series of lawsuits over noise from U.S. military airfields on the island.
Japanese court awards $16.3 million over aircraft noise from Air Force base on Okinawa
A Japan court awards millions over Air Force bases’ aircraft noise on Okinawa
www.stripes.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:10 AM
A Japanese court has awarded about $16.3 million to Okinawans affected by Kadena Air Base aircraft noise, the latest ruling in a long-running series of lawsuits over noise from U.S. military airfields on the island.
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Forces Japan, both headquartered at Camp Courtney on Okinawa, according to a Defense Department announcement.
Trump taps decorated Iraq, Afghanistan combat veteran to lead Marine Corps in Japan
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Forces Japan.
www.stripes.com
January 28, 2026 at 6:44 AM
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Forces Japan, both headquartered at Camp Courtney on Okinawa, according to a Defense Department announcement.
U.S. and Japanese naval forces are teaming up again in February for an expanded version of annual exercises around Japan, especially in the island chain that includes Okinawa.
Expanded Iron Fist puts US, Japanese troops at more island training sites
U.S. and Japanese naval forces are teaming up for an expanded version of annual exercises around Japan.
www.stripes.com
January 27, 2026 at 5:00 AM
U.S. and Japanese naval forces are teaming up again in February for an expanded version of annual exercises around Japan, especially in the island chain that includes Okinawa.
Reposted by Brian McElhiney
Powerful wind generated by helicopter blades forced a teacher’s umbrella open and knocked her off balance, leading to a fatal fall last year at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, according to an Air Force accident investigation.
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Helicopter rotor wash caused teacher’s fatal fall at Okinawa base, Air Force says
An investigation says powerful wind created by a helicopter’s blades led to a DODEA teacher’s fatal fall at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa last April.
www.stripes.com
January 23, 2026 at 10:35 AM
Powerful wind generated by helicopter blades forced a teacher’s umbrella open and knocked her off balance, leading to a fatal fall last year at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, according to an Air Force accident investigation.
www.stripes.com/branches/air...
www.stripes.com/branches/air...
Two Marines recently provided first aid to a Japanese man in his 80s who was choking while experiencing a seizure at a ramen shop in northern Okinawa.
Marine training kicks in at an Okinawa ramen shop, saving a choking man’s life
A Marine saves a man’s life at an Okinawa ramen shop
www.stripes.com
January 23, 2026 at 6:53 AM
Two Marines recently provided first aid to a Japanese man in his 80s who was choking while experiencing a seizure at a ramen shop in northern Okinawa.
The South Korean air force’s demonstration team, the Black Eagles, will make a refueling stop on Okinawa for the first time next week, three months after Japan canceled a similar request.
South Korea’s Black Eagles aerobatic team to refuel in Japan for first time
The South Korean air force’s demonstration team, the Black Eagles, will make a refueling stop on Okinawa for the first time.
www.stripes.com
January 22, 2026 at 6:50 AM
The South Korean air force’s demonstration team, the Black Eagles, will make a refueling stop on Okinawa for the first time next week, three months after Japan canceled a similar request.
Two U.S. service members on a nighttime scuba dive were rescued from a rocky cliff on an island off Okinawa’s central coast over the weekend, according to Japan’s coast guard.
Japan coast guard plucks stranded US service members from cliff off Okinawa
Two U.S. service members on a nighttime scuba dive were rescued from a rocky cliff on an island off Okinawa’s central coast, Japan’s coast guard said.
www.stripes.com
January 20, 2026 at 8:03 AM
Two U.S. service members on a nighttime scuba dive were rescued from a rocky cliff on an island off Okinawa’s central coast over the weekend, according to Japan’s coast guard.
A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer and a survey vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, the first such crossing confirmed this year.
US Navy vessels pass through Taiwan Strait for first time this year
A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer and a survey vessel went through the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, the first such crossing confirmed this year.
www.stripes.com
January 20, 2026 at 7:42 AM
A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer and a survey vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, the first such crossing confirmed this year.
U.S. Marines on a six-month deployment to Okinawa spent more than a month in South Korea rehearsing urban warfare, working with drones and skiing in the dark with their South Korean counterparts.
Camp LeJeune Marines ski, shoot and learn during monthlong mission in South Korea
U.S. Marines on a deployment to Okinawa spent more than a month in South Korea rehearsing urban warfare, working with drones and skiing in the dark.
www.stripes.com
January 15, 2026 at 7:07 AM
U.S. Marines on a six-month deployment to Okinawa spent more than a month in South Korea rehearsing urban warfare, working with drones and skiing in the dark with their South Korean counterparts.
The Marine Corps’ only permanently deployed expeditionary brigade stood up a new headquarters company on Tuesday, aligning it with a Japanese amphibious brigade to streamline joint humanitarian and warfighting missions in the Indo-Pacific.
As Indo-Pacific risks grow, Marines on Okinawa reshape command for faster response
Maj. Codi Anne Mullen took command of the newly minted Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, during a ceremony on Camp Courtney.
www.stripes.com
January 13, 2026 at 9:20 AM
The Marine Corps’ only permanently deployed expeditionary brigade stood up a new headquarters company on Tuesday, aligning it with a Japanese amphibious brigade to streamline joint humanitarian and warfighting missions in the Indo-Pacific.
Japan’s defense minister, on his first visit to Okinawa in his new role, repeated a promise to reduce the U.S. military’s footprint there and expand joint exercises near Japan’s southwestern islands.
Japan’s defense minister pledges to reduce US military footprint on first visit to Okinawa
Japan’s defense minister promised to reduce the U.S. military’s footprint there and expand joint exercises near Japan’s southwestern islands.
www.stripes.com
January 9, 2026 at 6:04 AM
Japan’s defense minister, on his first visit to Okinawa in his new role, repeated a promise to reduce the U.S. military’s footprint there and expand joint exercises near Japan’s southwestern islands.
An American soldier died three weeks after he was critically injured last month in a single-vehicle vehicle crash on Okinawa, according to the U.S. Army.
Okinawa-based soldier from Tennessee succumbs to injuries from early December crash
A U.S. soldier died three weeks after being critically injured in a single-vehicle crash last month on Okinawa, Japan, U.S. Army said..
www.stripes.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:23 AM
An American soldier died three weeks after he was critically injured last month in a single-vehicle vehicle crash on Okinawa, according to the U.S. Army.
Chinese coast guard vessels sailed near the Senkaku Islands 357 times last year, setting a record for the fourth year in a row amid increased tension between Beijing and Tokyo.
China coast guard’s ‘increasingly severe’ presence near Japanese islands breaks another record
Chinese coast guard vessels sailed near the Senkaku Islands 357 times last year, setting a record for the fourth year in a row.
www.stripes.com
January 5, 2026 at 6:23 AM
Chinese coast guard vessels sailed near the Senkaku Islands 357 times last year, setting a record for the fourth year in a row amid increased tension between Beijing and Tokyo.
Japan’s military buildup in the Nansei region is sending a message to an increasingly aggressive China that it will defend its economic interests and its people, according to defense experts recently.
Economic, defense concerns behind military buildup on Japan’s remote islands, experts say
Japan’s military buildup in the Nansei region is sending a message to an increasingly aggressive China that it will defend its interests and people.
www.stripes.com
December 31, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Japan’s military buildup in the Nansei region is sending a message to an increasingly aggressive China that it will defend its economic interests and its people, according to defense experts recently.
A U.S. Marine Corps vehicle collided with an Okinawa driving school sedan on the Okinawa Expressway over the weekend, injuring the driving instructor, according to the Marines and police.
Japanese driving instructor bruised in collision with Marine Corps tactical vehicle
A U.S. Marine Corps vehicle collided with an Okinawa driving school sedan on Okinawa, injuring the driving instructor, Marines and police said.
www.stripes.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:01 AM
A U.S. Marine Corps vehicle collided with an Okinawa driving school sedan on the Okinawa Expressway over the weekend, injuring the driving instructor, according to the Marines and police.
U.S. Forces Japan has denied Okinawa prefecture’s requests to test for so-called “forever chemicals” at three U.S. military bases, citing insufficient evidence that the facilities are sources of contamination.
USFJ denies Okinawa prefecture base access for ‘forever chemicals’ tests
USFJ denied access to Kadena Air Base, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and Marine Corps Camp Hansen to collect water and soil samples for testing.
www.stripes.com
December 22, 2025 at 6:29 AM
U.S. Forces Japan has denied Okinawa prefecture’s requests to test for so-called “forever chemicals” at three U.S. military bases, citing insufficient evidence that the facilities are sources of contamination.
A South Korean defense technology firm will supply advanced cockpit displays for the U.S. Air Force’s new F-15EX Eagle II fighter jet and South Korea’s F-15K Slam Eagle under a new deal with Boeing.
South Korean firm to supply advanced displays for Air Force’s new F-15EX fighters
Hanwha Systems’ contract for advanced cockpit displays is the first under an agreement to expand cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea.
www.stripes.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:35 AM
A South Korean defense technology firm will supply advanced cockpit displays for the U.S. Air Force’s new F-15EX Eagle II fighter jet and South Korea’s F-15K Slam Eagle under a new deal with Boeing.
Military families, veterans and Defense Department civilians in Japan and South Korea will soon have a new option for mental health care with the opening of nonprofit clinics on U.S. bases, according to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service.
Mental health clinics for US military families to open next year in Japan, South Korea
AAFES will open mental health clinics in the fall at Okinawa’s Camp Foster and South Korea’s Camp Humphreys, with more planned for other Pacific locations.
www.stripes.com
December 18, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Military families, veterans and Defense Department civilians in Japan and South Korea will soon have a new option for mental health care with the opening of nonprofit clinics on U.S. bases, according to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service.
Okinawa authorities discovered a U.S.-made bomb believed to date to World War II during an airport safety survey on a southern Japanese island, the first ordnance found in a series of inspections launched after an explosion last year.
American-made bomb from WWII uncovered near runway on small Okinawa island
Okinawa authorities discovered a U.S.-made bomb believed to date to World War II during an airport safety survey on a southern Japanese island.
www.stripes.com
December 18, 2025 at 6:26 AM
Okinawa authorities discovered a U.S.-made bomb believed to date to World War II during an airport safety survey on a southern Japanese island, the first ordnance found in a series of inspections launched after an explosion last year.
The Marine Corps has reopened a small island airfield off Okinawa’s coast after two years of repairs, restoring a key training site and easing pressure on Kadena Air Base, where parachute jumps had drawn local opposition.
Marine Corps reopens Ie Shima airfield after repairs, ending temporary Kadena drops
The Marine Corps reopened a small island airfield off Okinawa after two years of repairs, restoring a key training site and easing pressure on Kadena.
www.stripes.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:41 AM
The Marine Corps has reopened a small island airfield off Okinawa’s coast after two years of repairs, restoring a key training site and easing pressure on Kadena Air Base, where parachute jumps had drawn local opposition.
American and Japanese middle school students recently swapped holiday traditions and sharpened their storytelling skills by producing short Christmas-themed videos in one of Okinawa’s busiest tourist districts.
Middle-schoolers bridge cultures by creating Christmas videos on Okinawa
American and Japanese students teamed up in Okinawa for a cultural exchange, hosted in part by Department of Defense Education Activity, or DODEA.
www.stripes.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:43 AM
American and Japanese middle school students recently swapped holiday traditions and sharpened their storytelling skills by producing short Christmas-themed videos in one of Okinawa’s busiest tourist districts.
The Marine Corps certified Okinawa’s first 12 attack drone operators during a two-week competition this month, creating the means to make precision strikes while keeping Marines out of harm’s way.
Marines certify attack drone operators at Okinawa competition
The Marine Corps certified Okinawa’s first 12 attack drone operators during a two-week attack drone competition.
www.stripes.com
December 12, 2025 at 9:15 AM
The Marine Corps certified Okinawa’s first 12 attack drone operators during a two-week competition this month, creating the means to make precision strikes while keeping Marines out of harm’s way.
U.S. Forces Japan has acknowledged that military police on patrol on an Okinawa street made a “mistake” when they aggressively detained a U.S. civilian last month in an incident captured on video that went viral.
US military acknowledges ‘mistake’ in US civilian’s arrest on Okinawa street
U.S. military police lifted Kareem El off the ground and slammed him to the pavement in an incident ignited a social media backlash.
www.stripes.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:27 AM
U.S. Forces Japan has acknowledged that military police on patrol on an Okinawa street made a “mistake” when they aggressively detained a U.S. civilian last month in an incident captured on video that went viral.
The U.S. sent military aircraft and personnel to Sri Lanka and pledged $2 million to assist recovery efforts after a devastating tropical cyclone hit the island nation last month.
US airlifters, airmen and Marines arrive in Sri Lanka for cyclone relief
The U.S. sent military aircraft and personnel to Sri Lanka and pledged $2 million to assist recovery efforts after a devastating tropical cyclone.
www.stripes.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:38 AM
The U.S. sent military aircraft and personnel to Sri Lanka and pledged $2 million to assist recovery efforts after a devastating tropical cyclone hit the island nation last month.