Muscat – The Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) band will stage their debut performance in the Sultanate of Oman to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Oman.

Around 50 military personnel of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Western Army Band will attend the military tattoo ‘Military Music: Oman and The World’ hosted by the Royal Opera House Muscat in November.

As symbolised by the late Prime Minister ABE Shinzo’s historic visits to Oman in 2014 and 2020, the bilateral relationship has continuously grown, an official statement said.

JSDF bands have a variety of missions to include raising the morale of JSDF personnel, providing music for official military functions and ceremonies, and serving public relations. Their activities now have expanded to the international arena, and frequently joined the military tattoo festivals in the world. With their high professionalism, they also provide capacity building assistance of music education to a military band in the Pacific.

Each three service of JSDF has their own bands, and the Western Army Band (WAB) – this year’s guest band of the Royal Opera House Muscat event – is the regional army band of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. Its area of responsibility is southwest of Japan’s major islands called Kyushu and Okinawa. In addition to the above mentioned missions, the WAB conducts another important operation to bring smiles to local people. Since their area of responsibility is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, the band organizes concerts for temporary displaced residents in shelter for the purpose of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

The stage at the Royal Opera House Muscat is WAB’s first performance overseas, and all band members have been fully devoted and prepared to make the Oman’s biggest military tattoo successful. November is an important month for Omanis to celebrate their national day, but is also a month to commemorate JSDF in Japan.

The show will take place at Royal Opera House Muscat from November 3 to 5 and the performance will include drills, singing and Japanese drums.