Japan’s army band to perform at ROHM

The Japan Self-defence Force (JSDF) band is making their debut in the Sultanate of Oman this November to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Oman.

Around 50 military personnel of the Japan Ground Self-defence Force’s Western Army Band will attend the military tattoo ‘Military Music: Oman and The World’ to be hosted by the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) in November, the embassy said in a press statement.

As vindicated by the Late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s historic visits to Oman in 2014 and 2020, the bilateral relationship has continuously grown.

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-defence Force. Its area of responsibility is southwest of Japan’s major islands - 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 organises concerts for temporary displaced residents in shelter for the purpose of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts, the embassy pointed out.

The stage at the ROHM 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.