In an exchange of opinions with the 11 mayors of municipalities containing US military bases during his visit to Okinawa, Defense Minister Kihara quips, “Local opinions seriously considered.”

Splendor of Okinawa: Madagascar Periwinkle, Gushikawa RC Church, 18fe24


Defense Minister Kihara is making his first visit to Okinawa Island since taking office. 


Prior to his 17 February visit for talks with Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, the minister exchanged opinions with 11 mayors of municipalities containing US military bases. Their meeting took place in Naha, after Minister Kihara’s military base inspections.


Mayor Masanori Matsukawa of Ginowan, the location of the US Military Futenma Airfield, once again requested the speedy reversion of the city’s land. He noted, “We want to request an outcome in a form visible to our own eyes.”


Mayor Tetsuji Matsumoto of Urasoe, where a part of the Makiminato supply district will be returned next year at the earliest, noted, “Expectaions for the reversion are heightening in our locality.”  He further relayed the feeling that people wanted to get government assistance to put the vacated land to use.


Minister Kihara responded with such comments as, “We want to seriously accept local opinions.” His  differences became distinct from the responses of Governor Tamaki, whose claims follow a different line.


Original Japanese article: Yomiuri Shimbun, published Sunday 18 February 2024 at 15:14.     https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/58a92e873760305ef1e49abdeecdffdf29e3997a 


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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