June 27, 2008
Q: Can someone please tell me why it is mandatory for my Japanese wife to attend a brief about Japan and a class about driving when she is from Japan and has had her driver’s license in Japan for 20 years?

A: Attendance at the Area Orientation Briefings (AOB) and Intercultural Relations (ICR) class is mandated by Commander U.S. Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ) Instruction 1740.5 and Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) Instruction 1740.3B. The CFAY Instruction modifies this requirement with exceptions for personnel in certain categories. In this case, CFAYINST 1740.3B paragraph 3.a(3) applies, which states: “Japanese born spouses and personnel previously assigned to permanent duty in mainland Japan within the last five years are required to attend only the AOB and Driver’s Safety portions of the training.” Your Japanese spouse is not required to attend a brief about Japan. The AOB presentations, held on Tuesdays, provide attendees with information pertinent to base regulations, core services and primary facilities beneficial to quality of life. The Driving Safety class, held on Fridays upon the completion of ICR, is presented by the CFAY Traffic Safety Office. This class ensures that personnel who will apply for a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) U.S. Forces Driver’s License (USFJ-4) are provided safety and procedural information relevant to driving on the roads and highways of Japan as well as driving on U.S. military installations in Japan . Your understanding of and cooperation with these minimal requirements for Japanese spouses is encouraged and appreciated. Thank you for your inquiry.