Denny in the News

Splendor of Okinawa: Sweet William, roadside Uruma, 28jy22 The US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, is to be relocated to Henoko in Nago.The All Okinawa Conference is made up of the political parties and citizen groups opposed to the move. On 30 July, All Okinawa held its online meeting, “50 Years Since Reversion! Mass Prefectural People’s Rally: We Won’t Permit the Burden of any New Bases”. 　 Pre-recorded messages of the participants were broadcast online. In its declaration on the relocation to Henoko, the rally supported Governor Denny Tamaki’s refusal to accept the Defense Ministry's request for modifications to its construction plans to account for the confirmed weak seabed. The declaration also made criticisms such as that, while suspected cancer causing chemicals, such as PFOS (organic fluorine compounds), are being discovered around the bases, “The human rights and autonomy of the prefecture’s people are being discarded”, as they can’t enter the US b...

Splendor of Okinawa: Canna, roadside Uruma, 28jy22 Relationships between politicians and the religious organization Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church, a.k.a. Moonies) has become a political hot potato. A post with a photo purporting to show Governor Denny Tamaki “participating in a Unification Church assembly” is trending on the SMS site Twitter. But it is a fake. The photo is not even of a Family Federation assembly. Moreover, at a press conference on 28 July, Governor Tamaki reiterated that he had no connection whatsoever to the group. The Twitter post offered up a titled cut of the “Naha Family Church” site of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification combined with a frame of Governor Tamaki on a stage speaking  while grasping a mike. The posts then made comments such as, “Participation in a Unification Church Assembly!” or “How is Denny Tamaki going to explain giving a speech for the Unification Church?”, while purpor...

Splendor of Okinawa: Acalypha Hishida, on wall in Uruma, 28jy22 A photo and story of the attendance of Governor Denny Tamaki at a Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unitification Church, a.k.a. Moonies) event has been posted on the Net. The governor was asked for his take on the story at a press conference on 28 July. He denied it but said that he had taken part in the prefectural local group celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Korea People’s Association (Mindan) in Japan. He bore down on his previous denial, made on 22 July, of any relationship with the former Unification Church, “Absolutely no connection at all!”  Governor Tamaki explained about the Mindan celebration on 24 November 2020, “As part of my official duties, I was present and gave a congratulatory address.” The suspicion of a relationship arose because of a photo taken of the governor and a prefectural group which had visited Korea in attendance at the Mi...

Splendor of Okinawa: Rose, roadside Uruma, 15jy22 The Okinawa Prefectural Gubernatorial Election will be publicly announced on 25 August with ballots to be opened on 11 September. The Ryukyu Shimpo interviewed the three candidates in the race to hear about their enthusiasms and such: incumbent Governor Denny Tamaki (62), former Ginowan Mayor Atsushi Sakima (57), and former House of Representatives Member Mikio Shimoji (60). Each of them held a different view on the construction of the new base at Henoko in Nago associated with the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield and such. 　 On Henoko, Governor Tamaki is, “Adamantly opposed.” He stated, on the scheduled landfill construction in the weak seabed, “It will take months and years longer than assumed and has no link to the reduction in the burden of the bases.” Raising the issue of eliminating the dangers of Futenma, ex-Mayor Sakima stressed, on the relocation to Henoko,  “As current policy, we have to approve of it.” He fu...

Splendor of Okinawa: Duranta, along wall in Uruma, 15jy22 Recently, the relationship between politicians and the religious organization Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unity Church, a.k.a. Moonies) has become a political issue. As of 26 July, it has become clear that, even within Okinawa Prefecture, several politicians have participated in the church’s assemblies and such. Several Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) members of the National Diet, as well as its members of municipal assemblies, have participated in the church’s gatherings and such. Moreover, former Ginowan Mayor Atsushi Sakima, running with support from the LDP in the Prefectural Gubernatorial Election with ballots to be opened on 11 September, has in the past attended gatherings and such of that church. Sources in Sakima’s campaign are claiming, “Sometime today, we want to explain formally in some form or other.” At a scheduled press conference on 22 July, announced candidate for re-election, ...

Splendor of Okinawa: Nettlespurge, roadside Uruma, 15jy22 100 days before the curtains open in October on the “Chura-Shima Okinawa Culture Festival 2022” (37th National People’s Culture Festival, 22nd All Japan Arts and Culture For the Disabled Festival), a pre-event was held at Rycom Aeon Mall Okinawa in the village of Kita Nakagusuku. Okinawa Prefectural Oroku High School Calligraphy Club showed off their performance of calligraphy on the theme adopted by the conference, “Transit from bloom to flower” and were showered with applause. High-schoolers also took to the stage with hula and other performances. For commentary at the opening and closing of the culture festival pre-event, Megumi Tomita and Daiichi Hirata took  the stage as MCs. Eisho Goeku, Nozomi Okane, and other popular talents from the promotional caravan also participated.   Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki noted, “We were blessed with a  variety of arts. I would like this to be a chance to continue Okinaw...

Splendor of Okinawa: Crown of thorns, roadside Uruma, 15jy22 At his scheduled 22 July press conference, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki announced the schedule for the visit to Okinawa of Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky. He will visit between 5 and 7 August. The governor confirmed that a meeting between them will be on 5 August, the same day the ambassador arrives. He further noted that, because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, measures are needed to protect refugees from there, and,  “We want to exchange opinions on what sort of assistance is needed,”  The governor had met the ambassador in Tokyo on 13 July. He explained that Ambassador Korsunsky had then expressed his hope to make a courtesy call on the governor during a visit to Okinawa for a meeting with the 9 Ukrainian refugee households in the prefecture. According to the Office of the Prefectural Assembly, Chair of the Assembly Noboru Akamine is also arranging a meeting through the Ukrainian Em...

Splendor of Okinawa: Oxalis, roadside Uruma, 15jy22 There is only one month left before the 25 August public proclamation of the Okinawa Prefectural Gubernatorial Election, with ballots to be opened on 11 September. On the 11 September ballot opening day, for the first time, the Prefectural Gubernatorial Election and the Unified Regional Election days will combine to overlap each other. It will be an unprecedented overlap of the gubernatorial election, representative elections in 24 municipalities, and mayoral elections in 4 municipalities, including Ginowan. Covid-19 is breaking previous records daily in the number of new victims. While the announced candidates are concerned with policies to cope with its spread, they still have to carry on with digging up votes. Add to it all, they are being asked to come up with new electioneering skills, including aligning with the regional election campaigns. Until 23 August, incumbent Governor Denny Tamaki (62), supported by All Okinawa, Former G...

Splendor of Okinawa: Goya (bitter melon), on fence in Uruma, 15jy22 At a Cabinet meeting, the National Administration decided to hold a State Funeral for the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on 27 September. At a scheduled morning press conference on 22 July, Governor Denny Tamaki expressed his feelings on the subject, “The shooting was an incredibly great shock to me. I can totally understand that our nation’s people should want to gather in mourning. On the other hand, there are diverse opinions among a great many of the nation’s people about holding a State Funeral.”  The governor added, stopping short to avoid clarification on being for or against the State Funeral, “As for the Prefecture, there’s been no special discussion on what sort of opinions might be held.” In the wake of the Abe assassination, eyes have been on the political world and its relations with the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, (formerly the Unity Church, a.k.a. Moonies). As to his own relati...

Splendor of Okinawa: Thunbergia, roadside Uruma, 15jy22 On 21 July, 186,232 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed nationwide. For the second day in a row, the record high had to be revised. Even viewing local governmental entities separately, 35 surpassed their former record highs. 　 And Okinawa Prefecture, in the midst of facing its tourist season, has surpassed 5,000 new infections for the first time. Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki stated,  “We are currently reconsidering our coping policy and have strengthened contagion prevention measures. Facing sudden widespread contagion, we’re taking emergency prevention measures to protect the lives and livelihoods of our prefecture’s people.” Moreover, for the next 3 weeks, self restraints on activities in the prefecture have been decided. 　 As for concrete restraints, the Prefecture has requested that the prefectural people exercise prudence in going out, barring necessity or emergency. Regarding events, if more than a thousand peo...

Splendor of Okinawa: Chinese violet on wall in Uruma, 14jy22 On 20 July, the number of newly diagnosed Covid-19 patients surpassed the 5 thousand level. Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki expressed his recognition that some sort of limits on activity must be imposed. At a press conference in Okinawa City, he noted his concerns, “Without limits on activity, our health care will fall flat. I wonder if anxiety will explode among our prefecture’s population?” On the rise to the 5 thousand level, he stated, “It’s a situation that has to further our sense of crisis.” At a Prevention Measures Headquarters meeting on 21 July, the governor revealed his intention to announce publicly a Prefectural countermeasure plan. However, as of the present stage, the National Government has held a negative view of activity restraints. So, the governor expressed his doubts, “There are considerable differences in contagion situations in each prefecture. Everywhere you look, that’s what’s being said, rig...

Splendor of Okinawa: Clematis, roadside Uruma, 15jy 22 On the evening of 19 July, the Okinawa Prefectural Covid-19 Experts Committee met. Voices were raised by the experts with claims such as, “Events ought to be canceled!” and “From the view of health care workers, events like those that include alcohol are a different world.” Opinions on stronger countermeasures came up repeatedly, such as that the Prefecture should get concrete measures issued toward behavioral changes in the prefecture’s population. Doctors and others from the health sector, over and over, brought up the limitations of emergency health care and announced  that, as of the evening of 19 July, over 800 health care workers were on leave due to coming into extremely close contact with the disease. They claimed that, in the absence of restrictions on activity by the administration, “The health sector feels it’s carrying on the struggle orphaned from assistance,” while the number of victims skyrockets. They further re...

Splendor of Okinawa: Paperflower, on wall in Uruma, 4jy22 The Okinawa Prefecture Gubernatorial Election will be publicized on 25 August and its ballots will be opened on 11 September. On 18 July, the Ryukyu Shimbun held its Political Party Roundtable at its main office at Izumizaki in Naha to gather opinions on the election from 8 representatives of the 7 political parties and groups, along with the Prefectural Assembly Unaffiliated Club faction, with seats in the Prefectural Assembly.  　 The Roundtable discussed each political group’s stance on the merits of the prefectural administration of incumbent Governor Denny Tamaki (62), who has made clear his intention of running for a second term, the contested points and significance of the gubernatorial election, and whether the planned construction of the new base at Henoko in Nago will become an important point in the contest.  Three candidates are expected to be in the race for the gubernatorial election: Governor Tamaki, who w...