October 2022 — M2CC Newsletter

WWW.M2CC.US Monthly Newsletter | 15
pandemic put a halt
to mass gatherings.
Since then, the base
has held several large
events, but none
were open to Japan’s
general public.
“It’s all about building
and renewing
friendships with the
local community
and the Japanese
people,” Sobol wrote
in his email. “The
last three years have
been challenging for
many from both of
our communities,
and it’s my hope that
today we can turn the
page on the last three
years and start a new
chapter.”
Masks were not
required during the
festival, thanks to
the outdoor nature
of the event and
low COVID-19
transmission rates,
Sobol said.
commands sold
souvenirs or food.
Japanese visitors were
particularly interested
in American products
that they can’t easily
access elsewhere, such
as Monster energy
drinks, according to
Petty Officer 1st Class
Aaron Weitzel, 29, of
Omaha, Neb.
"Everyone has been
really friendly and
excited," he told
Stars and Stripes on
Sunday, adding that
the event helps build
camaraderie between
the local population
and the base.
Shinobu Suzuki, 47,
of Tokyo, said he was
looking forward to
trying the food and
added that Friendship
Day is a great chance
for kids to get out and
have fun.
Kanako Naito, 42,
and her husband Yoh,
42, of Yokosuka, said
it was the first time
they’d been on base
since 2018.
“I like this kind of
atmosphere,” Kanako
told Stars and Stripes
on Sunday. “My
husband often finds
these kinds of events
and tells me about
them. I lived on
Okinawa, and I’m
interested in and
familiar with military
bases, so I wanted to
visit."
The day concluded
with nearly 40
minutes of fireworks
over Tokyo Bay,
provided by the city
of Yokosuka, with
thousands of people
gathering along the
base’s shoreline to
watch.
“The city provided us
tremendous assistance
in managing the
crowds,” base
spokesman Randall
Baucom told Stars
and Stripes by
phone Monday. “We
appreciate all the
support from them.”
The crowd gathered
at Berkey Field,
where the 7th Fleet
Band and other music
groups performed,
or the parking lot
of the base’s mess
hall, where vendors
representing various