I first set foot upon the land of Japan on Nov. 13, 1974, arriving from Pusan, South Korea, by ferry at the port of Shimonoseki. I was twenty years old and had no previous knowledge of the language, nor of the culture, for that matter — I thought most people would still be wearing kimonos when I arrived! I had much to learn. So I hit the books, spending my first year in language and cultural studies in Ochanomizu, Tokyo.

Then I came to Fukuoka, and what a difference it was from Tokyo — fewer people, less traffic, more beautiful surroundings in every direction. Truly, as its name, it was “happy hills.” I was still a “gaijin,” an outsider, but something was a little different — the Fukuokans were used to having Americans around. In fact, my Japanese tutors who helped with my continued studies in the language had been involved with Americans….. at the US bases that were there.

And so began my curious investigations into just where exactly these bases were, and where did these Americans live, and were there any of them still around. Quite a number of Americans were living in Fukuoka at the time, but they were predominantly connected with Seinan Gakuin, the Baptist school in the western part of town. Being a missionary myself, I came to know each one of them, along with many of the other American missionaries in the city.

Probably the greatest spark to fan the fire of interest in learning about the US bases was a sales clerk whom I had met one day at a nearby department store in Kashii in the eastern part of Fukuoka, just down the road from where I lived in Najima. Frank Omori was a Canadian Nisei, who spoke fluent Japanese and had been employed by the US Forces as an interpreter for the base commanders. I would spend hours visiting him in his home, enjoying conversations with him, watching historical dramas on TV, and having some really good meals prepared by his wife. They became like parents to me.

From Frank I learned about the various US military sites around the city — where they were, what he did there, the Japanese who worked there, and when the bases closed. He should know… after all, he was one of the interpreters on base, and was even in charge of hiring Japanese to work on the bases. Sad day for Frank when all those whom he had served left town for good. Sad day for the Japanese as well. Over the years, thousands had been employed by the US military — clerks, cooks, food servers, cleaners, construction and maintenance workers, teachers, maids. Yes, the maids, who became practically “mothers” to so many of the little ones, dependents of military parents who needed their help. It was heart-breaking to have to say goodbye.

So what was the result of having these bases in Fukuoka? Who benefited who?

The bottom line is, of course, always money, how much prosperity came to the people, to the city. But we know it goes beyond that — the temporal must give way to the eternal.

The true bottom line to all this history in a city called Fukuoka is that God placed certain people there to be of tremendous help to that war-devastated city. Truly an irony….. the very ones who bombed the city went back to help clean it up and turn it into one of the top cities of Japan. Fukuoka owes a lot to those who gave a lot of their lives in keeping Japan safe, some even paying the ultimate sacrifice.

After reading through the emails I’ve posted from those who were there, you will come to the conclusion that the time they spent overseas, away from all they grew up with and knew, did not pass in vain. They were not only changed by their experiences there, but they changed many others, not just those with whom they served, but the locals with whom they had numerous opportunities to partake in a wide assortment of activities — sporting events, festivals American and Japanese, concerts and shows, parties, religious gatherings and charity work, educational classes, homestays, and on and on. Many recorded their memories, and that is what I have tried to express here on this website, with much gratitude to those who were willing to share their memories and photos.

Wes Injerd, Japan ウエス・インヤード
fukuokabases(at)use.startmail.com