Denny in the News

Splendor of Okinawa: St. John’s wort, roadside Uruma, 31au23 The US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan  is to be relocated to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture. Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito’s document directing Governor Denny Tamaki to accept work to shore up the weak seabed there was sent to the Prefectural Office on 29 September. The Transport Minister stated, “Since the governor ignored my recommendation and hasn’t accepted the work”, he has given the governor a directive to accept by a 4 October deadline.. Governor Tamaki announced his comment, “I’m just now considering how to respond.” Original Japanese article: Friday, 29 September 2023 at 17:30 https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/ab84cda1ffc3dbc5d443626af159c453c499f821 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 M...

Splendor of Okinawa: Purslane, roadside Uruma, 31au23 The US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan is to be relocated to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture. The National Land and Transport Ministry issued a recommendation that the Prefecture accept requested design changes for the work by 27 September.  However, on 27 September, Governor Denny Tamaki responded, “Approval is difficult within their time limit.” In response to what seems to be his stalling, criticism against the governor within and outside the prefecture is rising. Since the Prefecture has not responded to its recommendation,  the Ministry may soon turn it into a more strongly binding directive. If the Prefecture fails to respond to that, the Ministry expects to file another lawsuit. If the Government wins the suit, it will be in a position to grant acceptance of the changes by proxy in place of the Prefecture. On 27 September, in answer to queries from the press corps on the reason for his “Approval is di...

Splendor of Okinawa: Portulaca grandiflora, roadside Uruma, 31au23 On 26 September, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly (chaired by Noboru Akamine) held its regular September session. It has been learned that 2 prefectural staff members were imbibing alcohol in a ruling party faction’s office during their break. Voices of criticism have arisen from the opposition parties. That very day, news broke of the problem of the leak of fire extinguisher chemicals containing PFAS (organic fluorine compounds) from the Prefectural Office underground parking lot, and the opposition parties’ request for an explanation from Governor Denny Tamaki resulted in turmoil. So, there was a long break in the session. The opposition parties have confirmed that, during the break, 2 staff members of the ruling party’s Okinawa Southern Wind faction were imbibing alcohol in the party faction’s office. On News of the drinking, a meeting of representatives of all factions was held, and Okinawa Southern Wind Faction Chi...

Splendor of Okinawa: Brunfelsia uniflora, roadside Uruma, 31se23 It was learned on 26 September that fire-retardant chemicals containing hazardous PFOS (organic fluorine compounds) were leaking from an underground parking lot at the Prefectural Office in Izumizaki in Naha. The Prefecture was aware of the leak, but has yet to make it public. On the other hand, the Prefecture has strongly protested the PFOS leaks from US Military facilities. So, criticism is growing over why it has not responded publicly to its own leak. According to informed sources, when the tank of fire-retardant stored in the underground parking lot at the Prefectural Office was inspected, the level of the contents were found lowered. For some reason or other, some retardant had leaked out. The fear is that some of it may have seeped into Kumoji River, near the Prefectural Office. PFOS are hazardous substances with concerns about their impact on the human body, such as being a cause of cancer. When there was a discha...

Splendor of Okinawa: Flame lily, roadside Uruma, 31se23 (MIYAKO AND ISHIGAKI ISLANDS) Defense Minister Minoru Kihara visited the cities of Miyakojima and Ishigaki on 24 September. He inspected Ground Self Defense Force (GSDF) bases in both cities. The Minister held talks with Miyakojima City Mayor Kazuyuki Zakimi and Ishigaki City Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama to request their understanding, noting,  “Our defense posture of reinforcing the Ryukyu Island Chain is an urgent challenge!” This was the Minister’s first visit to Okinawa Prefecture since taking office. However, he held no discussions with its governor, Denny Tamaki. At Miyakojima City, the Minister mourned the victims of a GSDF helicopter accident last April and laid memorial flowers at a park on Irabu Island within the city. He also briefed troops at the base there. At his meeting with Mayor Zakimi, Minister Kihara relayed, “We want to continuously reinforce our defense capabilities in the Ryukyu Island Chain.” Mayor Zakimi r...

Splendor of Okinawa: Megaskepasma erythrochlamys, roadside Uruma, 31au23 On 24 September, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara visited Miyako and Ishigaki Islands in Okinawa Prefecture to inspect Ground Self Defense Force (SDF) facilities on the two islands.  The minister also held discussions with local mayors to request their understanding of the reinforcement of defense capacity in the Ryukyu island Chain. Since taking office, it was the Defense Minister’s first visit to Okinawa. He had sought a meeting with Governor Denny Tamaki, but it was not realized. 　 Minister Kihara held talks with Miyako Island City Mayor Kazuyuki Zakimi to show the Ministry ‘s gratitude for his cooperation in the operation of the SDF base there, “We would like to continue to reinforce our defense capabilities in the Ryukyu Island Chain.” Mayor Zakimi pleaded, “The international situation in our region is extremely perilous. The full protection of our city’s people and their property is an important challenge....

Splendor of Okinawa: Cape leadwort, roadside Uruma, 31se23 (GENEVA) Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki visited Geneva, Switzerland, to attend the UN Human Rights Council. The total length of his UN visit ended on 21 September. The governor had scheduled a speech at the General Discussion Forum held at the UN Human Rights Headquarters Meeting Hall. However, because the time for the meeting had expired, he was unable to give his speech. So, in response to queries for the day’s reporting from the press, Governor Tamaki read the contents of the speech that he had been scheduled to make at the General Discussion Forum.  The governor stated, “The very existence of the US Military bases is an infringement on the human rights of the people of my prefecture. They suppress our livelihood and threaten our peace!” According to Governor Tamaki, at his scheduled speech, he would have pointed out, “These US Military bases were forcibly concentrated in Okinawa after the great battle there a...

Splendor of Okinawa: Ramgoat dashalong, roadside Uruma, 3se23 (GENEVA) On 18 September, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki spoke at the open session of the UN Human Human Rights Council at its UN European Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. It had been 8 years since the last Okinawa Prefecture Governor, Takeshi Onaga, had given a speech at the Council in 2015.  Touching on the reality of the centralization of US Military bases in Okinawa, the governor pleaded, “We would like to see our Okinawan situation have the concern of the whole world.” In regard to the planned relocation of The US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, Governor Tamaki claimed, “The Japanese Government is forcibly constructing the new base, showing no regard for the will of the people, in opposition to the more democratic means of a popular vote.”  As for the relocation design, decided by the Japanese Supreme Court on 4 September, the governor spoke only of his response to the Gov...

Splendor of Okinawa: Hippeastrum reticulatum, roadside Uruma, 31au23 At the UN Human Rights Council in session in Geneva, Switzerland, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki made a speech criticizing the Japanese Government. Native Okinawan Journalist Masako Ganaha approached the Sankei Shimbun to offer this brutally critical comment, “His actions support the propaganda for the separation of Okinawa from Japan proper!” At the 2015 UN Human Rights Council, former Governor Takeshi Onaga also spoke asserting such criticism as, “The Okinawan people are being denied their right to self-determination and other human rights!” Journalist Ganaha is well know for her speech countering Governor Onaga the very next day at the UN Human rights Council, claiming, “As a part of Japan, we, the people of our prefecture enjoy the highest level of human rights in the world, plus high quality education, prosperity, medical services, and livelihood. Please, in no way, believe the Onaga propaganda!” This t...

Splendor of Okinawa: Wood Sorrel, roadside Uruma, 7se23 (GENEVA) The National Government has formally recommended that Okinawa Prefecture accept the request of the Okinawa Defense Bureau for changes in the landfill construction for the new base being built at Henoko in Nago.  In answer to questions from the press about the recommendation, on the morning  of 20 September (afternoon of the same day in Japan), during his trip to Switzerland, Governor Denny Tamaki, expressing the importance of his decision,  responded, “The time limit of 27 September required for my reply is an extremely tight condition. I want to pile consideration on consideration to be as certain as possible in my response.” Asked about the possibility of his accepting the recommendation, the governor responded, “Of course, I have to consider every possible course of action.” Questioned over at what point he would make his decision, without clearly revealing his timing, the governor asserted, “With the ap...

Splendor of Okinawa: Chinese Hibiscus, roadside Uruma, 7se 23 Regarding the US Military Futenma Base relocation work, National Land,  Infrastructure, and Transport Minister Saito today sent Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki a document recommending that he approve design changes for shoring up the weak seabed around Henoko. When the seabed at the proposed landfill site in the sea at Henoko was found to be weak 3 years ago, the National Government requested design changes in the work as a measure to counteract the weakness. But, without getting the Prefecture’s approval, the work cannot get started. So, in April of last year, National Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Minister Saito issued Okinawa Prefecture a compliance directive requesting that it accept the changes.  Considering that order illegal, the Prefecture sued the National Government. On 4 September, the loss of the Prefecture’s suit was decided by the Supreme Court and the duty to accept the design changes i...