【General Meeting】 General meeting which 63 regular members participated to, started at 3:00 P.M.. At beginning of meeting, we silently prayed soul of three regular members, Kenzo Eguchi, Yuzo Otsubo and Hideaki Tamura had died in last fiscal year.
After expressing appreciation for participating to general meeting, president Takegochi stated, "JAAGA has acted under concept of volunteer spirit without demanding reward in order to deepen linking US and Japanese airmen working together in aerospace. As result we could expand our activities, and number of cooperate members have been increasing now. This is evidence that public acknowledges on JAAGA purpose. Especially we are very pleased that USAF peoples think highly of JAAGA's activities. I suppose that this is one of reasons why many peoples joined as individual associate members. When associate members visit USAF bases, they could recognize that all USAF airmen do well to them. So they suggest others to join JAAGA as associate member. Though we act in just small field - friendship between both air forces, we believe that our activities contributes a little on improving reliability of US-Japan security alliance. We need your support and cooperation to accomplish JAAGA purpose in future, we would like to thank you in advance." (outline)
Then master of meeting reported "total attendant / letter of proxy presenter is one-third of all regular members, general meeting is satisfied", discussing on 1st to 5th bills started. 2007JFY activity results and 2007JFY statement of account, 2008JFY activity plan and 2008JFY budget, and 2007JFY audit report were proposed by secretariats in charge and were approved by attendants. During this session, attendants proposed opinions like "we need to drastically do something to expand JAAGA influence", "members do not gather only for sense of duty, so I request JAAGA to carry out events which we could have sense of participation", JAAGA president responded "we have made effort to expand JAAGA influence. We could not accept about weakling JAAGA activities and we would like to think hard on expanding our influence".
"Partial revise of annual membership fee on regular member" and "amendment of JAAGA charter on this" were discussed. This bill was approved. So, revise of annual membership fee will be effect in next fiscal year.
And JAAGA officers nomination for JFY2008 was proposed and approved. Mr.Ikuo Tohtake was appointed as 6th JAAGA president, Mr.Masamutsu Shimizu, Mr.Kazuhiko Mori and Mr.Michitaka Ochi took assume as vice president. Mr.Yasuo Hashimoto and Mr.Hideo Takashima were installed as audit officers, Mr.Takayoshi Ogawa, Mr.Yuji Okamura and Mr.Naoaki Takasugi were selected to be secretariat. Also Mr.Mitsuaki Ozawa and Mr.Chikao Yamamoto in Misawa, Mr.Yasushi Ishizu and Mr.Tadao Natomi in Okinawa took up each post in each branch.
Then president Takegochi expressed his reassignment words as follow. "I was inaugurated as 5th JAAGA president 2 years ago, and I have worked as president. I would like to appreciate that you have supported me and cooperated with me during this term. Specially I want to express my sincere appreciation on that all JAAGA officers have made all‐out efforts to JAAGA activity and have supported me very well". (outline)
Successively Mr.Tohtake made first speech as new president, "I would like to do all I can do to operate JAAGA which has been brought up by seniors. I realize that I will able to do in JAAGA and proceed JAAGA business with my full strength as president." (outline)
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Remaining bills were discussed under new president after this. New chairperson, vice chairperson and secretariats were selected at general meeting and appointed to each assignment.by president Tohtake. Then new officers were introduced by Mr.Tohtake in front of attendant. After then, president introduced retired officers and all attendant admired their achievement with handclapping.
【Lecture】 Memorial lecture started started at 4:30p.m., about 200 regular and associate members attended to it. Lecturer was Lieutenant General Edward A.Rice Jr., and subject of lecture was "Professional Airman".
After introducing lecturer's military career, lecture said "I am very pleased that I could spend time together and discuss many kind of issue. I have been waiting for today." He explained what is happening in United States Air Force and USAF's newest status, then he commented about the considering situation on military transformation of US. After one hour lecture, he had question and answer time for 30 minutes. General sincerely and precisely replied to questioners. Please refer to contents of lecture.
【Reception】 Social gathering which about 230 people participated, started at 6 p.m.. Councilor Masashi Sato, General Toshio Tamogami (Chief of Staffs, JASDF), Lt.Gen. & Mrs.Rice (5AF/CC), US Embassy minister, president of JANAFA, president of Tsubasa-Kai and other distinguished guests were invited. At beginning of party, Tohtake new JAAGA president expressed appreciation on that many members and guests joined to this party, he explained about JAAGA's mission and activities. Also he pointed "Many people and organization are making effort in many fields in order to improve the reliability of US-Japan relationship, but most tight relation is in military's field, especially between US military service and Self Defense Forces. This relation will not change in the future, and we have to make this stronger. And JAAGA is organized with JASDF retirees as regular member, individual and corporation member as associate member, many associate member attended to this reception tonight. We have to say thank you on your corporation and request your cooperation as past." (outline)
Then we had very witty speech by distinguished guests, Gen.Tamogami, LTG.Rice and Councilor Sato. Banquet began by call of toast by Sugiyama, president of Tsubasa-Kai. There were many crowds around distinguished guests, and the attendants enjoyed pleasant conversation. And we could see that retiree and active duty renew friendships. After 2 hours past, social gathering was closed with closing toast signal by vice president Shimizu. (reported by secretariat Minamoto)
