WorldJapanese admiral thanks VOA after learning English through broadcasts

Rear Admiral Takao Kobayashi of Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force thanked Voice of America for its broadcasts. He said he began listening to VOA to study English when he was in junior high school. During the 2026 Rim of the Pacific exercise, Kobayashi served as deputy commander of the Combined Special Operations Task Force. He worked alongside the United States and more than 30 other countries in coordinated operations.