Column: Operation Tomodachi illustrated evolution of U.S.-Japan ties

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, triggering one of the most devastating natural disasters in modern history. In the hours that followed, the United States launched Operation Tomodachi, “friend” in Japanese. It became one of the largest bilateral humanitarian assistance missions ever conducted, and it illustrated not only the strength of a military alliance, but the remarkable evolution of the U.S.-Japan relationship itself.

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