Regarding the 5 years since the Prefectural People’s Referendum on Henoko, Governor Tamaki urges, “This belongs to each and every one of us!” (25fe24)

Splendor of Okinawa: Loquat (Biwa), roadside Uruma, 1fe24


The US Futenma Airfield in Ginowan is being relocated to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture. On 24 February, it became 5 years since the Prefectural People’s Referendum when the opinion of over 70% of voters opposed the relocation’s landfill at Henoko.


Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki announced his comments on the situation,  “ Without a second thought to the popular opinion shown in our Prefectural People’s Referendum, they have forced this construction on us. As citizens of Japan we have rights. I want to have you think that ‘This belongs to each and every one of us!’”


However, even after the Prefectural People’s Referendum, the Government has just kept pursuing its construction. About 99,5% of the amount of rubble planned for landfill  along the southern coastline has been dumped. For all intents and purposes, the dumping there is complete In January of this year, work began on the  Oura Bay side, which has a weak seabed.


Former representative Jinshiro Motoyama (32) of the Prefectural People’s Referendum Committee, which called for carrying out the referendum 5 years ago, and others  have produced a music festival in Ishigaki City to consider the topic of Okinawa. 


Original Japanese article: Kyodo Communications, published Saturday 24 February 2024 at 17:51.   https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/8ef4cc135fae084e25cd4b453225458d10323b58


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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