Japanese Government requested to prepare a plan to deal with PFAS pollution across the prefecture, first in soil and then in water. (29no22)


Splendor of Okinawa: Dragon fruit, roadside Uruma, 20no22.


Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS), which are harmful to humans, have been found at high levels in the vicinity of US Military bases. Okinawa Prefecture plans to address this problem by carrying out a prefecture-wide inspection of water quality and soil in 2023, it was learned on 28 November. But, this inspection is to confirm pollution, not just in the vicinity of bases, but across the prefecture.


A prefecture-wide inspection of water quality was carried out in 2016. However, In 2020, the Japanese Government, for the first time, established measuring methods with the temporary target value of a total of 50 nano grams of PFOS and PFOA per liter of water.


The Prefecture is considering strengthening its ongoing work in order first to establish measurement methods and standards on soil,  considering soil as the basis of results for the Nation.


It has been reported that Governor Denny Tamaki met for discussions, on the same day, over getting the inspection done with Ginowan Mayor Masanori Matsukawa. 


According to the Environmental Safety Division of the Prefectural Environmental Department, water quality around bases has been inspected continuously since 2016. In addition, rivers, streams, wells, springs, and such, especially around bases have been targeted.


The Prefecture has been using its own budget. However its present budget is being adjusted. After passage of its budget, the prefectural municipalities will also have their budgets adjusted.


(Trans. note: The inference is that there may be little or no money for the inspections.)


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Tuesday 29 November at 06:45. Byline: Shugo Asato.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/f677ef5db8cd914d24eb04088ad0a8ed03ad5f60



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.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In the suit over exercise of proxy in the case of the weak seabed at the new Henoko base, judgment to be handed down on 20 December. (4de23)

Image
Splendor of Okinawa: Shrubby Bush Clover, roadside Uruma, 30no23 The seabed at the new base construction site at Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, is weak and needs reinforcement. So, the Okinawa Defense Bureau requested permission for the necessary design changes, but Governor Denny Tamaki refused. In response, the Government intends to exercise proxy to give itself permission in place of the governor. The Naha Branch of the Fukuoka High Court announced on 29 November that it will hand down its judgment in the lawsuit filed over the case at 2 pm on 20 December. At the trial on 30 October, Governor Denny Tamaki emphasized in the first oral arguments, “We can in no way accept this exercise of proxy, which violates the autonomy and independence of Okinawa.”  He further stressed the will of the prefecture’s people in opposition to the new base construction as the ‘Public will’. In addition, he requested to show that the  path to resolution lay in dialogue. The trial was conclud...
Read more

Governor Denny receives the report on JUNGLIA at the 4 month mark after its opening. (7de25)

Image
Splendor of Okinawa: Temple Tree, Mihama Beach, 1de25 CEO Takeshi Kato of Japan Entertainment (JE), which manages JUNGLIA Okinawa, visited Governor Denny Tamaki at the Prefectural Office on 28 November.  　 The CEO reported on the 4 months since the attraction’s opening. He repeatedly brought up dealing with operational improvements and such based on the voices of visitors to the park.  　 The CEO specifically mentioned the evening concerts in the park’s garden and, starting from December, the free entry of one child with each adult, targeting the prefecture’s people. CEO Kato stated, “We’d like to be contributing to Okinawa’s tourism as well.” Governor Tamaki, alluding to his speech the same day, entitled “Declaration on Sustainable Tourism”, stated, “For the people, employees, and tourists of our prefecture, this is an important win-win format. We’d like to have JE’s cooperation in many, many more initiatives.” Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Sunday 30 Nov...
Read more

In Okinawa, Candidate Takara takes hold of the Henoko opposition parties as their new face, urging,”Let’s earnestly come to grips with these issues together.” (21jy25).

Image
Splendor of Okinawa: Mexican Petunia, Gushikawa RC Church, 13jy25. In the House of Councilors Election for the Okinawa Election District, independent candidate Sachika Takara (46), endorsed by All Okinawa, which opposes the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture, scored a victory. She defeated the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Party’s new candidate Ryo Okuma (38) in the election campaign.  Candidate Takara pledged before her supporters, “The Henoko problem is something our prefecture’s people have taken into our hearts. We’re going to earnestly come to grips with it together.”  With their eyes on a victory in next year’s gubernatorial election, her victory was a bitter blow to the LDP. Governor Denny Tamaki, who held the job of Candidate Takara’s campaign headquarters chief, stressed, “The will of the people in opposition to the relocation remains unshaken.” In recent mayoral elections, All Okinawa’s fortunes ha...
Read more