Anticipating the loss of his court cases, Okinawa governor laments. “It’s an awful shame” but “It doesn’t change our opposition to the relocation!” (31au23)


Splendor of Okinawa: Madagascar periwinkle, roadside Uruma, 24au23


The US Futenma Airfield in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, is to be relocated to Henoko in Nago. The Prefecture anticipates es losses in its litigation against the planned relocation. 


At his scheduled press conference on 25 August, Governor Denny Tamaki stated,  “I feel it’s a terrible shame that the opportunity wasn’t provided for us to directly lay out the Prefecture’s case.”


The governor expressed his intention of carefully scrutinizing the High Court’s decision, which is scheduled to be handed down on 4 September, before considering his response going forward.


On 24 August, the First Petty Bench of The Supreme Court (Judge Masaki Oka) set 4 September for its ruling on one of the 2 suits before it. The loss of the Prefecture’s case in a decision by the Fukuoka Branch High Court is expected to be upheld, because the arguments necessary to change that court's decision were not held.


The Prefecture’s loss in its second suit was acknowledged when the Prefecture decided to avoid taking it up to the Supreme Court.


On why arguments were not held before the judgment, Governor Tamaki claimed, “Hasn’t enough been heard of the opinion of our prefecture’s people from their voices? They have left no doubt about their opposition!” 


Once the ruling is handed down, the governor will be obliged to acknowledge the design changes at the new base requested by the National Government.


However, Governor Tamaki has reaffirmed, “My intention to oppose the Henoko relocation remains absolutely inalterable. During my term as governor, I want to continue in my efforts to somehow or other realize my intention to stop it.”


Moreover, Governor Tamaki will attend the UN Human Rights Commission to be held in Geneva Switzerland in September. He expressed his intention of bringing attention to his opposition to the relocation there, before the international community.


Since the Government has not considered the opinion of the people expressed through their gubernatorial elections and prefectural residents’ referendums, the governor will claim, “This is not just a problem for Okinawa, but a  universal issue for what we deem to be human rights and democracy!”


Original Japanese article: Asahi Shimbun Digital, published Friday 25 August 2023 at 19:30. Byline: Taro Ono and Takumi Watanabe. https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b842693d8a6c0c45b2b0d4d170a5a7d8984ce736


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. 


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. 


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


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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