One year ago, Tomoyuki Togo of Japan moved to Omaha, Nebraska as part of an ongoing exchange program with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District. Togo is the fourth representative from the Japan Ministry of Defense to serve as a protective structure research engineer with USACE’s Protective Design – Mandatory Center of Expertise.
Togo began working for JMoD, Protective Design and Research Office, in April 2023, and came to the PD-MCX in Omaha in November 2023 for a two-year exchange to receive firsthand training on designing military facilities to withstand threats.
“We have had a good relationship for a long time,” Togo said of the partnership between JMoD and USACE, which began in 2016 with a data exchange international agreement. “JMoD is planning large-scale renovations including new construction and replacement at bases and camps throughout the country, and it is expected the PDRO will provide appropriate protection performance to each facility.”
In accordance with a National Defense Buildup Plan, Japan is working on an initiative over a five-year period that will include strengthening the protective capabilities of facilities and updating facilities as required.
With this new initiative in place, Togo said the relationship between the two protective design agencies is more important than ever, which made the most recent visit by a delegation from JMoD, Nov. 6-8, 2024, even more exciting.
Hosted by the PD-MCX, the event included visits to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency in Virginia, and the Omaha District headquarters in Nebraska, where the PD-MCX is located.
“This engagement was a crucial opportunity for relationship building with a partner nation, allowing us to share best practices in protective design,” said John Galloway, protective design center director. “It transcended barriers of time zones, distance, and language, bringing our teams together in a cooperative face-to-face setting. We were able to exchange information to enhance Japan's security posture and resilience against potential threats.”
Five representatives from the Bureau of Defense Building Planning, Japan Ministry of Defense, attended the event, to include Mikio Maruyama, director, Facilities Construction and Procurement Division; and Yayoi Shiraishi, director, PDRO. The delegation shared JMoD’s innovative use of materials to fortify existing buildings and how they structured their own organization to support the military of Japan.
Through the use of a translator, Maruyama began the engagement by thanking Galloway and the PD-MCX team for taking the time to discuss concerns regarding the designs for protective facilities and emphasized their commitment to drastically strengthening facilities based on defense protective programs.
Maruyama highlighted the eight-year history between the two agencies, commenting on the knowledge gained by current and past personnel exchanges, like the one Togo is doing now, stating that “learning about the technologies from the PDC is essential.”
“The facility protection technology that they have learned here in the PDC has been very useful for [Japan Self-Defense Forces] facility construction and protection, and is a very valuable asset for both JMoD and the government of Japan,” Maruyama added. “I sincerely appreciate your continued effort and cooperation by everyone in USACE and the PDC.”
The exchange event centered on protective strategies to enhance resilience against conventional and nuclear weapons, as well as crime and terrorism prevention for military infrastructure and assets. On a physical tour of the Edward Zorinsky Federal Building – led by Omaha District Bill Veys, structural engineer – the JMoD representatives viewed some of the protective design features of the building.
“This hands-on experience translated theory into physical reality, resonating with both parties,” Galloway added.
The exchange also highlighted two other centers of expertise within the Omaha District: the Transportation Systems Mandatory Center of Expertise and the Rapid Response Technical Center of Expertise.
“We face many challenges, but we would like to continue to leverage your knowledge and expertise in Japan’s facilities through personnel and technical exchanges going forward, through continued cooperation,” Maruyama said. “Thank you very much.”
Galloway said the engagement with Japan is an example of how the Omaha District fosters knowledge sharing, strengthens capabilities, and furthers partnership relationships with other countries.
The partnership with Japan will continue as Togo remains in Omaha through 2025. He said he enjoys his life and work here, and his son has become a Huskers fan so they look forward to watching another football season. The Omaha District is also looking to potentially include an exchange of USACE staff to Japan in the future.