Brian McElhiney
@brianmcelhiney.bsky.social
Reporter for Stars and Stripes, covering the U.S. military on Okinawa, Japan. Shares are not endorsements.
U.S. Forces Japan will halt unilateral military police patrols in Okinawa while it investigates a viral video of an American civilian being aggressively detained by a military police officer, a USFJ spokesman said Wednesday.
US military pauses solo patrols on Okinawa after viral video of civilian’s arrest
www.stripes.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:39 AM
U.S. Forces Japan will halt unilateral military police patrols in Okinawa while it investigates a viral video of an American civilian being aggressively detained by a military police officer, a USFJ spokesman said Wednesday.
The Marine Corps on Wednesday relieved the commander of the logistics unit responsible for supplying aviation units on Okinawa, less than a month after firing the command team of an MV-22B Osprey unit in Hawaii.
Marine air wing relieves logistics squadron commander on Okinawa
Lt. Col. Calischaran G. James was as commander of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 36, the unit responsible for supplying aviation units on Okinawa.
www.stripes.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:38 AM
The Marine Corps on Wednesday relieved the commander of the logistics unit responsible for supplying aviation units on Okinawa, less than a month after firing the command team of an MV-22B Osprey unit in Hawaii.
A water outage in southern and central Okinawa that was resolved by Tuesday afternoon had minimal effects on U.S. military installations on the island, according to the military and the prefecture.
Water flowing again on Okinawa following outage; US bases largely unaffected
A water outage in southern and central Okinawa that was resolved by Tuesday afternoon had minimal effects on U.S. military installations on the island
www.stripes.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:25 AM
A water outage in southern and central Okinawa that was resolved by Tuesday afternoon had minimal effects on U.S. military installations on the island, according to the military and the prefecture.
A plan to station surface-to-air missiles on an island within sight of Taiwan is “steadily progressing,” Japan’s defense minister said Sunday amid heightened tensions with China.
Japan’s defense minister restates surface-to-air missile plan on island near Taiwan
A plan to station surface-to-air missiles on an island within sight of Taiwan is “steadily progressing,” Japan’s defense minister said.
www.stripes.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:26 AM
A plan to station surface-to-air missiles on an island within sight of Taiwan is “steadily progressing,” Japan’s defense minister said Sunday amid heightened tensions with China.
A broken pipe in northern Okinawa caused a widespread water outage Monday for 17 island municipalities and could lead to disruptions on U.S. military bases.
Broken pipe cuts off water to much of Okinawa; US base supply in question
Marine Corps Installations Pacific is still determining how a widespread water outage will affect its bases on Okinawa.
www.stripes.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:49 AM
A broken pipe in northern Okinawa caused a widespread water outage Monday for 17 island municipalities and could lead to disruptions on U.S. military bases.
Three fighter squadrons arrived for rotational duty at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa last month as the 18th Wing inches closer to a permanent fleet of F-15EX Eagle IIs in the spring.
Trio of fighter squadrons began Okinawa rotations in October
www.stripes.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Three fighter squadrons arrived for rotational duty at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa last month as the 18th Wing inches closer to a permanent fleet of F-15EX Eagle IIs in the spring.
Police have accused a U.S. Navy sailor on Okinawa of inappropriately touching a Japanese girl over the summer, adding to a string of offenses that have roiled the island community the past two years.
Okinawa police accuse US Navy sailor of inappropriately touching teenage girl
Police have accused a U.S. Navy sailor on Okinawa of inappropriately touching a Japanese girl over the summer.
www.stripes.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Police have accused a U.S. Navy sailor on Okinawa of inappropriately touching a Japanese girl over the summer, adding to a string of offenses that have roiled the island community the past two years.
A U.S. Marine in a Japanese court Tuesday denied sexually assaulting a Japanese woman on a Marine Corps base but admitted injuring another woman during the March incident.
Marine in court denies sexually assaulting woman in gym restroom on Okinawa base
A U.S. Marine in a Japanese court denied sexually assaulting a Japanese woman on a Marine Corps base but admitted injuring another woman.
www.stripes.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:41 AM
A U.S. Marine in a Japanese court Tuesday denied sexually assaulting a Japanese woman on a Marine Corps base but admitted injuring another woman during the March incident.
The Chinese coast guard entered waters Japan claims as its territorial limit around the Senkaku Islands over the weekend, less than 10 days after Japan’s prime minister warned Tokyo would use military force if China attacked Taiwan.
Chinese coast guard enters Senkaku waters after Japan warns it may use force
Four Chinese vessels crossed into waters Japan claims as its territorial limit around the Senkaku Islands.
www.stripes.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:54 AM
The Chinese coast guard entered waters Japan claims as its territorial limit around the Senkaku Islands over the weekend, less than 10 days after Japan’s prime minister warned Tokyo would use military force if China attacked Taiwan.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense has rejected as “ineligible” a request from Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki to fund new filters designed to remove “forever chemicals” from a major water purification plant in central Okinawa.
Tokyo says no to Okinawa’s funding request for ‘forever chemical’ cleanup
Japan’s Ministry of Defense has rejected a request from Okinawa’s governor for new filters to remove PFAS from a water purification plant in Okinawa.
www.stripes.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Japan’s Ministry of Defense has rejected as “ineligible” a request from Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki to fund new filters designed to remove “forever chemicals” from a major water purification plant in central Okinawa.
The Marine Corps could soon resolve a dispute with Okinawa prefecture over parachute jump training at Kadena Air Base by reopening an offshore airfield.
Airfield repairs could soon resolve Okinawa parachute jump training dispute
Repairs to an airfield in Okinawa could help resolve a parachute jump training dispute.
www.stripes.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:40 AM
The Marine Corps could soon resolve a dispute with Okinawa prefecture over parachute jump training at Kadena Air Base by reopening an offshore airfield.
U.S. military police arrested 15 service members during a recent patrol of the nightlife district in Okinawa city — the highest number of arrests on a single night since the patrols began in April, according to U.S. Forces Japan.
Okinawa city patrol yields record arrests as US military enforces liberty order
U.S. military police arrested 15 service members during a patrol of Okinawa city’s nightlife district — the highest number since the patrols began in April.
www.stripes.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:37 AM
U.S. military police arrested 15 service members during a recent patrol of the nightlife district in Okinawa city — the highest number of arrests on a single night since the patrols began in April, according to U.S. Forces Japan.
Netflix is set to unveil another series about the Marine Corps, this time a four-part documentary about a rapid-response task force on Okinawa.
Netflix series on Marines’ quick-reaction force on Okinawa to debut on Corps’ birthday
Television series on Netflix will soon show the Marine Corps rapid-response task force on Okinawa.
www.stripes.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Netflix is set to unveil another series about the Marine Corps, this time a four-part documentary about a rapid-response task force on Okinawa.
Only a dozen or so U.S. service members in civilian attire were spotted among the teeming revelers still celebrating Halloween on the streets of Naha’s nightlife district early Saturday.
First military police patrol of Okinawa’s capital finds ‘real quiet’ streets
Only a dozen or so U.S. service members in civilian attire were spotted among the revelers celebrating Halloween in Naha’s nightlife district.
www.stripes.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Only a dozen or so U.S. service members in civilian attire were spotted among the teeming revelers still celebrating Halloween on the streets of Naha’s nightlife district early Saturday.
The Air Force on Monday identified Staff Sgt. Gregory Peterson as the airman who died last week from injuries sustained in a motorcycle collision two weeks earlier on Okinawa.
Airman who died after motorcycle collision served with mobility squadron on Okinawa
The U.S. Air Force identified the airman that died last week from injuries sustained in a motorcycle collision two weeks earlier.
www.stripes.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:57 AM
The Air Force on Monday identified Staff Sgt. Gregory Peterson as the airman who died last week from injuries sustained in a motorcycle collision two weeks earlier on Okinawa.
An airman stationed at Kadena Air Base has died from a brain injury suffered in a motorcycle crash two weeks ago on Okinawa, the Air Force and local police said.
Kadena airman dies weeks after motorcycle collision on Okinawa
Airman from Kadena, Okinawa, dies weeks after motorcycle collision
www.stripes.com
October 31, 2025 at 4:05 AM
An airman stationed at Kadena Air Base has died from a brain injury suffered in a motorcycle crash two weeks ago on Okinawa, the Air Force and local police said.
The Marine Corps has relieved the command team of an MV-22 Osprey squadron based in Hawaii, citing a loss of trust and confidence in their ability to meet aviation standards, a service spokesman said.
Marine Corps fires Osprey squadron’s command team over ‘loss of trust’
Marine Corps command team of MV-22 Osprey squadron relieved of duty in Hawaii.
www.stripes.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:28 AM
The Marine Corps has relieved the command team of an MV-22 Osprey squadron based in Hawaii, citing a loss of trust and confidence in their ability to meet aviation standards, a service spokesman said.
An Okinawa town cannot immediately satisfy a request for additional water from a neighboring Marine Corps base that detected elevated levels of “forever chemicals” in its storage tank, according to a town official.
Okinawa town unable to meet US base water request amid PFAS contamination
Chatan town cannot immediately satisfy a request for additional water from Camp Lester, according to a town official.
www.stripes.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:44 AM
An Okinawa town cannot immediately satisfy a request for additional water from a neighboring Marine Corps base that detected elevated levels of “forever chemicals” in its storage tank, according to a town official.
A group of Marines newly arrived on Okinawa have been recognized for providing first aid to a Japanese bicyclist injured in a traffic collision in Nago city this summer.
‘Just another day on the job’: Marines honored for aiding injured cyclist on Okinawa
Five Marines that newly arrived at Okinawa were awarded commendations for assisting a Japanese man who had suffered a head injury after an accident.
www.stripes.com
October 28, 2025 at 2:23 AM
A group of Marines newly arrived on Okinawa have been recognized for providing first aid to a Japanese bicyclist injured in a traffic collision in Nago city this summer.
A U.S. airman was in a coma Monday after his motorcycle collided with a compact car at an Okinawa intersection early Friday, police said.
Motorcycle-car collision leaves American airman in coma on Okinawa
A U.S. airman suffered a brain hemorrhage and a broken pelvis in a crash that left him in a coma, police said.
www.stripes.com
October 20, 2025 at 7:31 AM
A U.S. airman was in a coma Monday after his motorcycle collided with a compact car at an Okinawa intersection early Friday, police said.
Japan’s military disposed of nearly 13 tons of unexploded ordnance on Okinawa between April 2024 and March — a little more than half the amount handled the previous fiscal year, according to government records.
Japan detonated 13 tons of WWII-era ordnance on Okinawa last fiscal year
Unexploded ordnance from the 1945 Battle of Okinawa continues to turn up across the island prefecture.
www.stripes.com
October 17, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Japan’s military disposed of nearly 13 tons of unexploded ordnance on Okinawa between April 2024 and March — a little more than half the amount handled the previous fiscal year, according to government records.
Naha Mayor Satoru Chinen told Marine Corps Installations Pacific commander Maj. Gen. Brian Wolford during a meeting at city hall that he is not considering patrols between U.S. military police and Japanese authorities, a city spokesman said.
Mayor rejects US military request to expand joint patrols into Okinawa’s capital
Naha Mayor, Satoru Chinen, has rejected plans by the U.S. military to expand joint police patrols into the Okinawa municipality.
www.stripes.com
October 17, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Naha Mayor Satoru Chinen told Marine Corps Installations Pacific commander Maj. Gen. Brian Wolford during a meeting at city hall that he is not considering patrols between U.S. military police and Japanese authorities, a city spokesman said.
The Marine Corps plans to fire the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, for the first time at a training range near Mount Fuji, according to U.S. Forces Japan.
Marines to fire HIMARS for first time at training area near Mount Fuji
The Marine Corps plans to fire the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System for the first time at a training range near Mount Fuji, according to USFJ.
www.stripes.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:19 AM
The Marine Corps plans to fire the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, for the first time at a training range near Mount Fuji, according to U.S. Forces Japan.
A fire last week scorched about 400,000 square feet at a Marine Corps rifle range in northern Okinawa, according to the prefectural government.
Ninth blaze of year burns at Marine Corps rifle range on Okinawa
A fire on Oct. 10 scorched about 400,000 square feet at a Marine Corps rifle range in northern Okinawa on Range 2 at Camp Hansen.
www.stripes.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:28 AM
A fire last week scorched about 400,000 square feet at a Marine Corps rifle range in northern Okinawa, according to the prefectural government.
Some people living at the home of the 18th Wing sheltered in place for about an hour Tuesday after unexploded ordnance was discovered near one of the installation’s oldest buildings.
Shelter-in-place lifted at Kadena after ordnance discovery near historic building
Some people living at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa sheltered in place for about an hour after unexploded ordnance was discovered near one of the installation’s oldest buildings.
www.stripes.com
October 14, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Some people living at the home of the 18th Wing sheltered in place for about an hour Tuesday after unexploded ordnance was discovered near one of the installation’s oldest buildings.