IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, Japan -- The Honorable Yoshihiko Fukuda, mayor of Iwakuni, Japan, U.S. Marine Corps Col. Robert V. Boucher, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Christopher J. Garza, sergeant major of MCAS Iwakuni, and Japanese government officials participated in the 7th Joint Leadership Walk down the streets of Iwakuni on July 6, 2016.

The walk symbolizes the effort of MCAS Iwakuni and Iwakuni leadership toward unity within the local community.

“We are very committed to maintaining a safe and happy community here,” said Boucher. “This walk reinforces the message to our community within the base that we want to be good ambassadors here.”

Many Japanese media outlets covered the Joint Leadership Walk, which offered Japanese residents the opportunity to observe their government officials and the air station’s senior leadership’s commitment to safety and security for all residents and the preservation of the alliance between the U.S. and Japan.

“This Joint Leadership Walk reaffirms our commitment to the safety and security of the local population here, and we are grateful that the mayor invited us.” said Boucher. “We’ve been very fortunate not to have any incidents here in the last few years.”

The Joint Leadership Walk began in 2009 and was designed to be a biannual event, taking place once in the summer and winter. The last walk took place in December 2015 and continues to be a firm demonstration of the bond and unity between both communities.