Denny in the News

The Fool   There was once a young man named Sandaa living together with his mother in a certain place. Perhaps it was because of his easy-going or obedient nature, but, with his total lack of common sense, he appeared to one and all  to be a complete fool.   One day, his mother said to him, “After you finish sowing the field with seeds, please make sure to shoo away the birds, so they don’t just eat them all up!” Sandaa, good-natured as ever, rushed out to the field to take on both tasks. When the birds came along, after he had sowed the seeds, he chased them away, yelling, “Shoo, shoo, shoo!”, just as his mother had told him.  In the meantime, when the birds were not around, he rested and watched the leaves of the potato field sway in the wind. But, then he noticed that there were bugs all over the leaves.         So, just as when he chased away the birds, Sandaa began yelling, “Shoo, shoo, shoo! Get out of here, you nasty bugs!” O...

Splendor of Okinawa: Indian Blanket, roadside Uruma, 26de23 On News of the Government’s exercise of proxy, on 28 December, Governor Denny Tamaki, his features full of foreboding, lamented, “Okinawa, with its history of hardship, has had yet another hardship added.” 　 The governor continued, “The voices of our prefecture’s people decrying their excessive burden of bases in Okinawa can’t be silenced, even after this!” He once again requested the government to abandon its relocation plan. Governor Tamaki pointed out that  his refusal to approve the construction this time was an official duty, delegated to all prefectural governments,  on the principle of equality between the Nation and its regions. In addition, the governor proclaimed, “The means of dealing with the doubts of prefectural governments has yet to be determined. However, having arrived so far as proxy this time will be the root of huge problems.”  ( Translator’s note: I’m puzzled that the Ginowan mayor’s headli...

Splendor of Okinawa: Confederate jasmine, roadside Uruma, 26de23 On 28 December, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki was interviewed by the entire press corps. The governor expressed his sense of alert over the Southwest (Ryukyu) Shift, in which the Government is progressing in making the Okinawa region the center of its Self Defense Force (SDF) buildup. He noted with restraint, “This sudden expansive deployment is heightening tensions,” With the SDF and US Military bases to be issues in next year’s gubernatorial election, the governor further stressed, “These will become topics of contention.” He also stated that his ruling party would target maintaining the majority that it presently holds in the Prefectural Assembly. On the Southwest Shift, Governor Tamaki pointed out, “We’re seeing chinks in the Government’s stance in going forward with its original plan and maintaining its original schedule. “We have requested that they strive to give a thorough explanation to our region.” On the reloca...

Splendor of Okinawa: Wood Sorrel, roadside Uruma, 26de23 “The use of proxy to crush democracy is unjust!”, say opponents, but the Administration used proxy to approve design changes in construction for the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago. In response, on 28 December, the All Okinawa Conference, which supports Governor Denny Tamaki, sharply criticized the Administration at its meeting in Naha. However, there was also criticism for All Okinawa itself for strengthening its confrontational approach to the National Government in its single issue preoccupation with opposition to Henoko. The protest activities pleading opposition to Henoko are facing a crossroads where the All Okinawa power no longer has its former strength. At a study session held by All Okinawa on the evening of 26 December on the topic ‘How shall we fight back against this unjust ruling?’, a female participant raised the question, “Even if we appeal to the Supreme Court, proxy wi...

Splendor of Okinawa: White Leadtree, roadside Uruma, 26de23 The National Government will approve by proxy, in place of Okinawa Prefecture, the construction needed for the relocation of the American Military Futenma Airfield from Ginowan to Henoko in Nago. In response to the ruling, which it considers inappropriate, in the lawsuit allowing the proxy approval, Okinawa Prefecture filed an appeal to the Supreme Court on 27 December. Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki stated, “Okinawa Prefecture will make clear the problematic points of the original decision to the Supreme Court and, appealing on behalf of the pleas of the majority of the prefecture’s people, get on with our request that the original ruling be trashed.” In the background is construction on the weak seabed at the site in Henoko for the relocation of the American Military Futenma Airfield. The Government filed suit to give itself proxy to approve design changes for it in place of the Prefecture, which opposes the relocation. On 20...

Splendor of Okinawa: Spider Lily, roadside Futenma, 22de23 　 On 26 December, Okinawa Prefecture announced that Governor Denny Tamaki, who had been hospitalized in a health care facility for pneumonia, had been released that day. According to the Prefecture, his release from hospital was decided because the condition of his fever symptoms had subsided and the condition of his health had stabilized. He is scheduled to resume his official duties at the Prefectural Office on the afternoon of 27 December. From 19 December, the governor had symptoms of a high fever and, on 20 December, he was diagnosed with lobar pneumonia. On 21 December, he entered a health facility within the prefecture. While in the hospital, the governor responded to important matters by working remotely, such as by online conferencing and telephoning. As for the the design changes requested by the Defense Ministry for construction to shore up the weak seabed for the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Gin...

Splendor of Okinawa: Lollipop Plant, roadside Futenma, 22de23 The Naha Branch of the Fukuoka High Court ordered Governor Denny Tamaki to approve design changes requested for construction to shore up the weak seabed for the new base construction at Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture. However, the governor did not obey the ruling. 　 With that news in hand, National Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito, on the morning of 26 December, issued a notice informing the governor of the time and date when he will carry out the exercise of proxy, on the basis of the Regional Autonomy Law. The content of that notice informed the governor that on 28 December, National Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito will bypass the governor to approve the design changes, requested by the Okinawa Defense Bureau, in his place by proxy. The National Government plans to get on with the task of construction in Oura Bay, where the soft seabed is located, as early as 12 Januar...

Splendor of Okinawa: Carnation, roadside Futenma, 22de23 The Defense Ministry requested design changes in construction to shore up the weak seabed at Henoko in Nago, the site of its planned relocation, within Okinawa Prefecture, of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan. The Naha Branch of the Fukuoka High Court, in its ruling on a suit over the exercise of proxy, has ordered Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki to approve the changes by 25 December. However, we have confirmed in coverage of sources in the Prefecture that final maneuvering is underway toward the governor not giving his approval within the 25 December deadline. The governor’s final decision will be made on 25 December.  If the governor does not give his approval, it appears that National Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito, who manages the Public Water Surface Landfill Law, will step over the governor to approve the design changes in place of him through the exercise of proxy, relying ...

Splendor of Okinawa: Lantana, roadside Futenma, 21de23 The Naha Branch of the Fukuoka High Court has ordered Okinawa Prefecture to accept the design changes demanded in the lawsuit over the exercise of proxy in the case of the relocation of the US Military Airfield at Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture. Moreover, it is understood that, if the Prefecture’s approval is not given by 25 December, the National Government is set to exercise proxy as early as 28 December. Government and Prefectural Headquarters sources have confirmed the above.  The Prefecture is making its final arrangements toward not giving its acceptance by the Government’s deadline. On 25 December, the Prefectural Headquarters, including Governor Denny Tamaki, will meet to formalize their decision. If the Prefecture does not give its approval, National Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito, following a basis in the Regional Autonomy Law, after prior notice to the Prefecture, wil...

The Salt-spewing Mill A long long time ago, there were two brothers. The older one was rich but outrageously greedy. The younger one was poor but kind-hearted. One New Year’s Eve, a white-bearded old man came along to the younger brother’s house and asked, “I’m a traveler. Could you please let me stay here just for the night?” The younger brother, seeing how tired the old man looked, replied, “If you don’t mind staying in a shack like this, you’re welcome.” So, seemingly relieved, the old man entered the house.          However, the younger brother had nothing to eat in the house. So, he went to his older brother’s house and pleaded, “As you’re my brother, could you please lend me just a little rice, because I have a guest and I’m embarrassed to have nothing to offer him.”          But, with his face flushing red, the cold-hearted older brother shouted, “What nonsense! I don’t have a grain of rice or anyth...