The US federal government has been plunged into a shutdown since the start of the new fiscal year on October 1st, affecting the US military bases in Japan and South Korea. While military readiness has not been impacted, several community celebrations and school events have been either canceled or postponed, leaving local residents and military families disappointed.
The Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC) announced on Thursday (October 2nd) on their official Facebook page that the “Futenma Flight Line Fair,” scheduled to take place at the Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture on October 4th and 5th, will be completely canceled due to the government shutdown.
According to the Okinawa Times, the event is a major annual celebration in the local area, often attracting tens of thousands of visitors. The base would have been open to the public, showcasing various military aircraft including the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, with cockpit tours, American food stalls, and children’s play areas creating a lively atmosphere.
The organizers announced that the event will be scaled down to an indoor concert open only to Department of Defense (DoD) cardholders, relocated to the nearby Kadena Air Base’s “Ocean Breeze” facility.
At the same time, it was explained that active-duty military personnel will continue their duties, but their pay will only be issued once temporary resolutions or annual spending bills are passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. Civilian employees in non-essential positions will be furloughed without pay.
Reports from the US military’s Stars and Stripes publication stated that the Yokosuka Naval Base, home port of the Seventh Fleet in Japan, also canceled its annual “Friendship Day” celebration scheduled for this Sunday. The event attracted over 50,000 people last year, reaching a near-decade attendance high. The base expressed deep apologies for the last-minute cancellation, understanding the community’s significant efforts in preparations.
Similarly affected is the Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture. The Robert D. Edgren Middle High School, which falls under the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), announced that the football game, campfire, parade, and dance originally planned with Yokota High School will be postponed for at least two weeks.
Located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, Camp Humphreys, the largest US military base overseas, will still hold the pre-homecoming pep rally and parade at its affiliated high school. However, the scheduled football game against Yokosuka Naval Base and the subsequent dance have been indefinitely postponed.
Miranda Ferguson, the spokesperson for the DoDEA in the Asia-Pacific region, confirmed that all extracurricular activities and competitions have been postponed or canceled due to the government shutdown.
Despite the impact on various cultural and social activities during the US government shutdown, “essential services” continue to operate. US military personnel stationed abroad are performing their duties as usual, with no impact on military readiness. Core facilities such as medical services, daycare centers, and military stores at various bases are maintained to ensure the basic living needs of service members and their families.