Public announcement to the press corps at Okinawa Prefecture’s Ishigaki City on GSDF and USMC joint drills, including dispatch of GSDF Ospreys. (26oc23)


Splendor of Okinawa: Crown of thorns, roadside Uruma, 31au23


The Resolute Dragon joint exercises of the Ground Self Defence Force (GDSF) and the US Marine Corps (USMC), mainly to be staged in Kyushu and Okinawa Prefectures, have commenced. On 24 October, at the GSDF Ishigaki Base in Ishigaki City in Okinawa, commanders of the US and Japanese forces held a press conference.


Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki has been expressing concern over carrying out such large scale exercises. However, Western Army Commander General Juichi Yamane, requesting understanding, stated, “Enhanced coordination between the U.S. and Japan is connected to the peace of mind and security of our Nation’s people.”


On 24 October, the GSDF practiced confirmation protocols for launching GSDF Type 3 Anti-ship Guided Missiles and USMC Type 3 Mid-range Anti-aircraft Guided Missiles, as well as USMC radar. At New Ishigaki Airport, a GSDF V22 Osprey Transport Aircraft flew in and carried out patient evacuation exercises. Commercial airlines were also in view in the area.


At the press conference, General Yamane expressed his awareness that the security guarantee environment is now especially precarious. He emphasized, “It’s extremely important to directly link these exercises to the guarantee of security for Japan and the Indo-Pacific Region.


USMC 3rd Division Japan Command Lieutenant James Bierman noted, “We’re endeavoring to send a strong message of peace, freedom, and security through these joint activities between the US and Japan.” The exercises will continue until 31 October.


Since it was the first USMC deployment to Ishigaki Island, Japanese and US forces carried out command drills and such to establish joint areas of responsibility.


Original Japanese article: Yomiuri Shimbun, published Wednesday 25 October 2023 at 14:46.  https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b9b63104bdb418ac910aec2953d3f79d2c696907


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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