Midshipmen 1st Class George White and Jean-Carlos Hernandez and Midshipman 2nd Class Sienna Brown stand with cadets from the Japanese National Defense Academy while on board a Japanese ship. The three midshipman spent 16 weeks in Japan as part of a the Naval Academy’s study abroad program. Photo courtesy of the International Programs Office.

‘‘We learned how their civilian population and armed forces view and interact with ours on a day-to-day basis,” said Midshipman 1st Class George White. ‘‘As our language skills improved, our opportunities in Japan multiplied, and the result was an engaging, enlightening semester.”

The three midshipmen lived and studied exclusively at NDA during the semester. Each was assigned a fourth-year Japanese cadet who served not only as an escort and mentor, but also as a liaison between them and the NDA chain of command.

‘‘We received a significant amount of assistance and direction from our roommates and acquaintances acquired during class, sports and other activities,” said Midshipman 2nd Class Sienna Brown. ‘‘The cadets not only permitted us to hone our language skills in conversation with them, but also provided insight into the various regimens and rituals peculiar to their academy, prefecture or country.”

Their classmates often invited the midshipmen to off-campus activities, such as family dinners and a yachting trip, that broadened their cultural and regional understanding outside the classroom.

All but one of the classes they attended were taught in Japanese by Japanese instructors. To alleviate any confusion that might arise, instructors, both civilian and military, often provided English notes or slides to supplement class lectures, but after the initial month of intensive language study the midshipmen found they were able to comprehend lessons and added a significant amount of new vocabulary and grammar to their knowledge of the language.

NDA is geographically situated near both the metropolitan areas of Tokyo and Yokohama and more rural areas like Tochigi and the Chuo Alps, allowing the midshipmen opportunities to travel to different regions.

‘‘We made a point of retiring from the hustle and crowd of Tokyo every now and then to experience the hospitality and individuality of the countryside,” said Midshipman 1st Class Jean-Carlos Hernandez. ‘‘From these experiences we developed an appreciation for the connection of the Japanese people not only to one another and the outside world, but also to their land and work.”

‘‘Most significantly in terms of professional development, our semester in Japan gave us a first-hand look at the relationships that we as the U.S. armed forces have formed with the Japanese self defense force and the Japanese people,” said White. ‘‘We attained an appreciation for the similarities and differences between the U.S. military’s training and organization and that of the Japan Self Defense Forces.”