“Sakura Inoue’s Straight Talk”: Representative of the Japan Renovation Party declares its dissolution of election cooperation with Komeito in the House of Councilors elections as an essential action for the next elections. (19se22)


Splendor of Okinawa: Slender dwarf morning glory, roadside Uruma, 17se22


In the Okinawa Prefecture Gubernatorial Election, incumbent Governor Denny Tamaki, who is affiliated with the National Government’s opposition party, won hands down. Actually, I personally went to the prefecture on 4 September because I eagerly wanted to do an article on the election campaign.


Unfortunately, I ran straight into a typhoon, so I couldn’t get a chance to see street corner stumping and such. However, when observing regional results, Atsushi Sakima, who was supported by the coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Komeito, and the Japan Innovation Party, had wins here and there. Observing from Tokyo, it had seemed that  Governor Denny Tamaki would win outright with support from All Okinawa, but then, I thought, might there not be districts where he wouldn’t? 


From now on, too, Denny will oppose the National Government on the issue of the relocation of the base to Henoko that carried him to victory. If I have a chance to do an article, I will try to listen for his passionate opinions about Okinawa’s future!


On 27 September, a state funeral will be held. But disputes still continue on and on. Right at the time of former Prime Minister Abe’s death, tears flowed from members of both the ruling and opposition sides of the Diet. But then, the issue arose of the relationship between LDP Diet members and the former Unification Church. 


It seems that since then the winds of sentiment have changed. In that former moment, there was an atmosphere for remembering Abe. However now, many voices are against even holding the event. I wonder whether even Prime Minister Kishida is having headaches over this?


Moreover, among the 379 LDP Diet Members, 179 have had some kind of connection with the former Unification Church. I have a feeling public opinion is going to come down pretty hard on that. LDP Secretary General Motegi had announced, “Almost 90% had no recognition of the former Unification Church’s group affiliations.” But, when seen from the standpoint of election campaigns, at least for the ministerial class, schedules are meticulously chiseled out as a matter of common sense. That said, are they about to participate in the events of some organization they don’t know about? That’s a point even for suspicious thoughts.


I’ve closely observed the Renovation Party’s direction right up to now. But, Renovation Party Representative Baba’s declaration that cooperation with Komeito in the House of Councilors elections would be dissolved shocked me. His resolution seems to be fundamentally broad. But that’s not just in the application of its force. Enough time for choosing candidates is also desirable. For the next elections, without a doubt, I think that the Japan Renovation Party’s actions will become essential.

(Sakura Inoue is a TV commentator.)


Original Japanese article: Yahoo News Sports Report, published Sunday 18 September 2022 at 12:00

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/062cfcfe1053299a87a68302e49bb85fe469be95


Denny in the News: news about Governor Denny Tamaki.

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although Okinawa is important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 

  1. This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 

  2. Any suggestion on improving the translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.

  3. Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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