Spotlight!
JASDF hosts annual mochi-pounding ceremony at Yokota AB
U. S. Air Force
December 15, 2025
(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Carissa McSwain)
U.S. Air Force Col. Richard McElhaney, 374th Airlift Wing commander, swings a mallet during the Japan Air Self-Defense Force mochi-pounding ceremony at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Dec. 11, 2025. The annual event brought U.S. and Japan personnel together for a hands-on cultural exchange that highlighted the traditions strengthening community ties.