Protesters insist, “We’ll continue our movement!”, with the landfill at Henoko still ongoing 4 years after Okinawa Prefectural People’s Referendum. (25 fe23)


Splendor of Okinawa: Plumbago, roadside Uruma, 19fe23


There is a plan to relocate the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture. 24 February marked 4 years since the Prefectural People’s Referendum on whether or not to conduct a landfill at Henoko for it. The result was a resounding no, with 70% of the votes opposed. Nonetheless, the Government has continued the landfill construction after the vote.


On 24 February, Jinshiro Motoyama (31), a former representative of Henoko Prefectural People’s Referendum Committee, which had called for having the referendum, along with others held their event called the 2-24 Music Festival with live music and a talk event for young people to exchange their opinions on Okinawan topics and their viewpoints. Yamamoto stated, “I want to continue our movement so the Prefectural People’s Referendum won’t become just a transient moment.”


The February 2019 Prefectural Peoples Referendum had a voter rate of 52.48%. The total votes garnered in opposition to the landfill stood at 71.74%. However, the result was not legally binding. So, the Government just went on with the landfill. But the seabed at the landfill site was found to be weak and needs reinforcement. The Government and the Prefecture are still locked in a court battle over it. 


On the 24th, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki announced his comment on the matter. He pointed out, “This is not just an issue for Okinawa. Our democracy and right to self determination are being questioned!”

　

On the same day in 2022, 24 February, the Russian invasion of Ukraine occurred. In response, the Japanese Government, seeing the severity of the security environment in East Asia as well, has proceeded with a reinforcement of Self-Defense Forces (SDF) in the Ryukyu Islands. Jinshiro Motoyama complained, “Make a US base here! Make an SDF base there! How much of a burden do they have to  load on our backs? We need a cool discussion on this!”


Original Japanese article: Mainichi Shimbun, published Friday 24 February 2023 at 19:38. Byline; Shinnosuke Kyan

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c54102ff0b65724fd832d8b1bfe00beefb6ccead


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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