Japan joins Operation Christmas Drop, delivering aid and gifts across the Pacific

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has joined the United States, Republic of Korea, Canadian, and Royal Australian air forces for an annual humanitarian mission delivering aid across the Pacific.

Operation Christmas Drop (OCD), one of the world's longest-running humanitarian air drops, began in 1952 when a US Air Force crew flying over Kapingamarangi Island in Micronesia dropped supplies to residents waving from below.

More than seven decades later, the operation has grown into a large-scale, multinational tradition that delivers aid to some of the most remote Pacific islands. 

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The mission also inspired the 2020 Netflix film Operation Christmas Drop, a romantic comedy that follows a career-focused congressional aide sent to a Pacific island to shut down the mission as a cost-saving measure.

Immersed in the festive operation, she discovers its impact on local communities and falls for the charismatic pilot leading the effort.

The film blends Christmas romance with a celebration of the real-life humanitarian tradition which delivers supplies to more than 20,000 residents across more than 50 islands.

The aid includes toys, medical supplies, clothing, educational materials and non-perishable food. 

The Christmas tradition also serves as a training mission, teaching troops how to deliver aid to isolated communities in case of a disaster.