Denny in the News

Splendor of Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, the committee head, stated, “It is our obligation to bestow on the next generation an Okinawa truly prosperous in peace with pride to the World.” He exhorted the prefecture’s people to cooperate and noted that the woman was sponsored by her uncle who lives in the prefecture. Through her uncle’s acquaintance, she requested prefectural housing, job assistance, and so on from the Prefecture. Hereafter, the Prefecture will submit the information to her. The chief of the Culture, Tourism, and Sports Board, Shikichi Miyagi, explained, “Our direction is that we want her to visit a Japanese embassy soon.” The Prefecture has discovered through the municipalities that there are 15 Ukrainians living in the prefecture. When asked about her situation and requests, it seems their opinion was that assistance, such as food, clothing and shelter, and, after taking refuge, communication, would be needed. Original Japanese article: Okinawa Times, published Thur...

Splendor of Okinawa: Calliandra On 29 March, Governor Denny Tamaki clarified that the new title for the 6th Okinawa Promotion Plan beginning from 2022 (Next Promo Plan for 22-31) will be “Okinawa’s New 21st Century Vision”. He clarified it at the Bridge of Nations Conference he attended. At a meeting on 1 April, the governor will publicly announce the decided title for the Next Promo Plan. The Revised Okinawa Promotion Special Measures Law will be deliberated in the House of Councilors as the legal basis for the Next Promo and is expected to be enacted on 31 March. The Next Promo Plan is slated to begin after the legal revision goes into effect in May. “Okinawa’s New 21st Century Vision” is the Prefecture’s long-term concept of an image 30 or so years into the future. It will be attached to the Next Promo Plan later. It will follow the present title (from 2012-21) “Basic Plan for Okinawa’s Vision in the 21st Century”. Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Wednesday 30 Ma...

Splendor of Okinawa: Along the Tengan River An agreement was made between the Japanese and US governments on the return of the U.S. Military Naha Bay Port (Naha Military Port in the cry of Naha. The outline of a design to move it to The city of Urasoe in Okinawa Prefecture has been confirmed. The pillar of the plan is to build the replacement facility for Naha Military Port on a 49 or so hectare landfill on the north side of Urasoe wharf. The Defense Bureau plans to submit the proposal to the Prefecture and Urasoe on 30 March. With the assembling of the Japanese Government’s design proposal, this is the first concrete action taken on the move, since the Japan-US agreement in 1974. With the September gubernatorial election in view, the Japanese government seems to be aiming to check Governor Denny Tamaki who opposes the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airbase from Ginowan to Henoko in Nago by the concrete expedition of the Naha Military Port relocation. The Naha Military Port faci...

Splendor of Okinawa: Tea house at Shuri Castle On 27 March, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki admired the ongoing 73rd Okinawa Art Exhibition (Oki-ten) being held at ANA Arena Urasoe in the city of Urasoe in Okinawa. After a 3 year lapse since his last visit, Governor Tamaki made the rounds of the 12 sections of the exhibit for over an hour and a half. Governor Tamaki inspected the pieces one by one from a distance and close-up. As he enjoyed the exhibits, he noted, “Each and every piece is full of individuality and the application of various techniques and expressions, with a depth of taste. I can feel to the fullest extent their depth and breadth from various perspectives.” As to the three years that have passed since the exhibition was last held, the governor noted, “Even the baseball camps are again open to spectators. Various activities are being held. If people take full precautions, they can have their fun.” The governor was deeply moved by the exhibit, noting, “This event is precio...

Splendor of Okinawa: Bougainvillea along the Tengan River The symposium “Governor Denny’s thoughts on peace and development in Asia and Okinawa”, hosted by Okinawa Prefecture online using a video conferencing system, was held on 26 March. Governor Denny Tamaki expressed his thoughts on opening the “Advisory Board Panel on the US Military Base Issue”, targeted for May this year, composed of security experts and others, to gather opinions on other international situations. He will incorporate the opinions gathered into prefectural policy. At a press briefing after the conference, Governor Tamaki explained the purpose of holding the conference of experts, “I want to inquire about their analysis of the present international situation and what course of action and such can be taken by Okinawa.” On whether the Russian invasion of Ukraine or the Taiwan emergency would be taken up, the governor responded, “First, I want the content of the information gathered from the members.” The Advisory Bo...

Splendor of Okinawa: Poinsettia With the 50th anniversary of Okinawa’s return to Japan approaching, an online symposium will be held on the US Military base issue on 26 March at 7 p.m. Governor Denny Tamaki will give the keynote speech on the regulation and reduction of US Military bases in Okinawa, as called for by both the US  and  Japanese governments. Former Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary Kyoji Yanagisawa, Aoyama Gakuin UniversityProfessor Emeritus Kumiko Haba, and political policy advisor Shigeaki Koga will take the podium in a panel discussion. Sayo Saruta, representative of the think tank “New Diplomatic Initiatives (ND)” who has worked as a lobbyist to the US Congress and others, will serve as the chair. Participation is free. The symposium will be broadcast on the Zoom video conferencing system with sign language translation provided. Up to 1,000 participants can be accepted on a first-come basis. The application to participate can be made with a QR code or by phon...

Splendor of Okinawa: A Calliandra along the Tengan River Okinawa Prefecture held its Covid-19 Prevention Headquarters Conference on the afternoon of 24 March. Prevention measures were decided in order to continue social economic activity and prevent the return of widespread contagion with a plan to combat the omicron variant using special rules and activity restrictions aimed at those who have had contact with the virus. At ordinary businesses, primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, pre-schools, special assistance schools and such, special rules for those with close virus contacts will end. The 7 day quarantine of those who are asymptomatic will also end. From 24 March,  relief for those with close virus contacts will be put in place. On 16 March, the Health and Labor Ministry put out administrative guidelines relaxing special rules and activity restrictions on those in close contact with the omicron variant. On that news, the Prefecture held meetings of experts and groups c...

Splendor of Okinawa: Viper’s Grass along the Tengan River On 23 March, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki attended the Headquarters for Covid-19 Emergency Measures meeting of the National Governors Conference online.  The US Military in Japan has canceled the requirement that masks be worn within its bases. So, the governor requested that the conference demand contagion prevention measures such as the wearing of masks within bases from the US side.  Governor Tamaki explained the problem with the US Military's cancellation of the mask requirement, “Cries of unease have been pouring in from base workers and even those with business on the bases.” He noted the feeling of danger, “In this situation, where the numbers of newly infected victims has stopped decreasing all over the nation, there is absolutely no focus on it within the bases.” On the same day, the governors offered their individual opinions on an emergency declaration for Covid-19 to be sent to the Japanese Gover...

The “No More Okinawa War: Nuchi du Takara Club”, which advocates preventing Okinawa from ever again becoming a battlefield, met with Governor Denny Tamaki at the Prefectural Office on 22 March. The club submitted a petition requesting that the governor officially declare his open opposition to the SDF missile unit and the making of Okinawa an attack hub in the continuing Taiwan emergency. The club pointed out that the petition submitted to the governor concerned the Southwest Island group which has become a hub for military action in the continuing emergency in Taiwan and the Senkaku Islands, noting, “This can only be seen as entering into an emergency war-time response stance.”  Moreover, prodding governor Tamaki with, “A governor’s greatest responsibility in office is to protect the lives of his prefecture’s people”, the club continued its call for action. On receipt of the petition, Governor Tamaki stressed, “Okinawa must avoid at any cost becoming the target of an attack. I wan...

Masakazu Moriyama, who has formally announced his candidacy in the Okinawa City mayoral election slated for ballot opening on 24 April, set out  his political policies on 19 March. Moriyama promised, “I will make the fee for school lunches free, totally free. Moreover, Governor Denny Tamaki and I will work together like a tag-team. We’ll institute free medical care for kids up to 18.” At an interview on 19 March, Moriyama, who is backed by the strength of All Okinawa touted its slogan “Building cities peaceful for people”. He also announced administrative policies on eliminating the gaps in education, such as promoting totally free school lunches and improving the school bus network. Moreover, Moriyama said he imagines a revival of the Koza Crossroads area and wants to connect bustling streets with economic results.  Current Mayor Sachio Kuwae has also expressed her intention to run as a candidate in the Okinawa City Mayoral election. Original Japanese article: RBC Ryukyu Bro...

On 17 March, Okinawa Prefecture announced the results of its opinion poll of prefectural residents on the Covid-19 vaccine. Among those who answered that they haven’t gotten vaccinated, 73% offered, “Because it’s an unknown,” as their reason. 47% answered, “(I don’t want the vaccination, even in the future).” The opinion poll was carried out on the Internet from 24 January to 10 February. 11,353 people answered the poll. 9,817 people had already gotten their second shot (86%), 60 their first (1%), and 1,476 were unvaccinated. Among the unvaccinated, with multiple answers allowed, the reasons given were: “The vaccine is an unknown” as the most common answer at 73%, “I’m afraid of side effects” at 55%,  “I think there’s a risk of sterility” at 27%, and others.  When the question, with multiple answers allowed, was “What could make you want to get vaccinated?”47% answered that even in the future, “I don’t want to get vaccinated”, followed by 19%, who said they’d accept vaccinatio...

On 18 March, Sachiko Miyagi and other officials of Shinyuryu (True Ryukyu Dance) visited Governor DennyTamaki at the Prefectural Office. Miyagi Sensei was awarded the status of National Human Treasure in the important intangible cultural asset “Ryukyu Dance” for her role as consultant on the true Ryukyu form of Ryukyu dance. After announcing the award, she invited the governor to her “Path to True Dance” memorial award speech at the Okinawa National Theater in Ginowan on 9 April.   With award in hand, Miyagi Sensei told the governor, “I want to thank all my fellow teachers and the late esteemed head of our school Masako Makina. As we preserve the development of Ryukyu dance, we will do our utmost to hand it down to the following generations.” Governor Tamaki lauded her with, “In your reception of the National Human Treasure award as a female dancer,  I, too, have received a taste of your indescribable joy. As dancer and director, you have exerted a huge influence. As our ...