Fantastic Okinawa Liberty Policy Update Annual Christmas Fantasy delights at Okinawa Zoo By Bill Charles S nowflakes aren’t actually forecast to fall over Okinawa this holiday sea- son, but the Christmas Fantasy being staged at Okinawa Kodomono Kuni, the Okinawa Zoo, is prepared to amaze visitors with the next best thing. People experiencing their first winter on Okinawa are often surprised and disappointed to dis- cover a Christmas in this sub- tropical paradise doesn’t have quite the same ring to the season as back home. No problem, say the Christmas Fantasy organizers at the Okinawa Zoo in Goya, Okinawa City. From December 23rd through 28th, from 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. each day, the zoo is creating a huge scale Christmas Wonderland. The zoo is celebrating its 19th annual Christmas Fantasy event, packed with holiday cheer, sparkling lights, illuminated Christmas trees and decorations guaranteed to give everyone a fuzzy, nostalgic feeling to cele- brate the holiday season. The high- light of this annual event is a chance to revel in the beauty of real white snow that will be falling from snow machines three times each evening, guaranteed. Yes! Guaranteed! Real snow falling from the skies over the zoo. Okinawa Kodomo no Kuni changes to a Christmas theme park with huge numbers of deco- rated electric illuminations! Visitors can walk around the all illuminated park and enjoy many special theme areas like Santa Claus, electric flower field, illu- minated amusement park, illumi- nated Tunnel of Love and much more! There are also pay play areas in its park of snow where visitors can play in a snow field, whiz down sliders, enjoy a snow- man, visit the kamakura (igloo) and more. Some free snow area activi- ties are available, for fun for everyone! Then there are the snow shows three times each day! There’s to be a snow machine run- ning around the park making Continues on page 2 S oldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines received an early Christmas present from the Commander, U.S. Forces Japan, in the form of a relaxed cur- few and off-base liberty ruling. Air Force Lt. Gen. Salvatore “Sam” Angelella directed the revised liberty rules, which include later curfews and lifting of the ban on off-base drinking by service personnel. His chief of staff, U.S. Army Colonel Cory Mendenhall, spoke to troops across Japan via AFN on Tuesday, to out- line specifics of the new policies, and also to encourage good behavior during the hol- iday season. “The Liberty Policy is just one initia- tive in our comprehensive efforts to ensure our personnel maintain the highest stan- dards of conduct and behavior,” says USFJ, adding “Active leadership engagement and enhanced education and training are other components that we have, and continue to stress. We remain committed to being good neighbors and citizens in the communities where we live and work.” USFJ says “We have made extensive efforts to tailor the provisions in order to reinforce standards of conduct and main- tain good order and discipline, while also maintaining quality of life for our service members,” and assured the command and Japanese communities which host American bases “We will continue our utmost efforts to prevent incidents and accidents. Our leaders will continue to emphasize safety, respect, honor, and per- sonal responsibility.” The general says “we are also commit- ted to ensure this revised policy gets off to the right start through increased leadership presence and courtesy patrols,” adding that “The overwhelming majority of our 54,000 military members in Japan serve honorably and professionally every day. They are exemplary representatives of their service and our country.” The new liberty rules went into effect only days after U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. John Wissler, center, signed the Drug and Drunk Driving Prevention Month Proclamation Dec. 4th at Camp Foster. Senior officers, representing each branch of service sta- tioned on Okinawa, gathered to sign the proclamation in an attempt to reduce drink- ing and driving incidents, which occur highest around the holiday season. USFJ implements updated Liberty Policy on Okinawa Kodomo-no Kuni, or Okinawa Zoo, lights up for Christmas fun every day from Dec. 23 through 28. Snow slider is fun. It's really snowing on Okinawa. Laser show lights the sky daily. New rules loosen the restrictions placed on U.S. military members on liberty. Dec. 11, 2014 - Dec. 17, 2014 www.japanupdate.com ¥150 Fantastic Okinawa Local News Classifieds Okinawan Culture Weather JU Weekly Raffle Events this week English Lesson Horoscope Recipe