On their first visit to Okinawa since enthronement, the Emperor and Empress note “The importance of peace in our hearts.” (23oc22)


Splendor of Okinawa: Helenium, roadside Uruma, 16oc22

　

On 22 October, the Emperor and Empress visited Okinawa for the first time since their enthronement. The Royal Couple laid a wreath for the victims of the Battle of Okinawa at the National Cemetery of the War Dead at Mabuni in Itoman. They also visited the Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall and Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum and such, where they received an explanation of the extraordinary horrors of the Battle of Okinawa.


On 23 October, they will also visit the opening of the national people’s cultural festival, “Chura Shima (Ryukuan: Beautiful Island) Okinawa Cultural Festival 2022”, where they will attend the formal opening ceremony.


This is the first visit to Okinawa for the Emperor since he last set foot here in 1987, but his sixth visit altogether. For the Empress, it was her second visit, with her first being in 1997.


At the National Cemetery for the War Dead, the Royal Couple heard about the personal experiences of war from its survivors in the Prefectural Federation of Bereaved Families. At the Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, Museum Director Sayuri Maekawa performed the task of showing the Royal Couple around. Faced with pictures of the civilian victims of artillery shelling, both of them uttered, “How painful it must have been!” On hearing the explanation of the Peace Tower, the Emperor stated, “Did such a lot of people end up dying?” Museum Director Maekawa noted, “With his truly gentle visage, I was impressed with his stance of trying to understand the Okinawan situation, especially his fervor on the conditions during the Battle of Okinawa.”


Through their chamberlain, the Royal Couple conveyed their impressions, “We think of the tragedy of the Battle of Okinawa and our thanks for the peace we now enjoy. We will once again chisel into our hearts the importance of peace.”


Back at the hotel where the Royal Couple were staying, they spoke informally with Tsushima-maru Museum Director Masakatsu Takara and other participants in the formal ceremony for the 50th Anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan. In addition, the Royal Couple again met and shared experiences with the “cub reporters” whom they, as Prince and Princess at the time, had met for cultural exchange in 2016. 

Governor Denny Tamaki, who had accompanied the Royal Couple all day, stated, “We feel you have brought your hearts to an Okinawa which begs for peace.”

　

Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Sunday 23 October 2022 at 09:37. Byline: Masakazu Umeda

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/12c6edcd1a732d455c893d2fb159d51a61379571


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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