“The situation of Okinawa is a concern for the world”, with its concentration of U.S. Military bases, claims Governor Denny Tamaki in speech at UN Human Rights Council. (23se23)


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 Government claim it has total approval to proceed with the relocation. He stated, “It’s still under our consideration.” 


In opposition to Governor Tamaki’s declaration, a Japanese Government representative gave a dissenting opinion, “The fact is that the start of the construction work for the Henoko relocation plan is based on the early return of Futenma Airfield to Okinawa. It’s one element linked to our strategy for a solution  to the release of our citizens from the dangers of that base.”


Original Japanese article: Yomiuri Shimbun, published 19 September 2023 at 09:56. Byline: Yuichi Morii.  https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/d0f64aea9fec9f8aeae703e5099507a76eadd3d7


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 my 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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