52 years after Okinawa’s reversion to Japan, 2190 people in their 15 May Peace Parade consider the unsolved base issue, as Governor Denny Tamaki proclaims, “Let’s pass on the lessons Okinawa got in the war to our future generations!” (19my24)

Splendor of Okinawa: Indian Lettuce, roadside Futenma, 26ap24


With the passing of 52 years since reversion of Okinawa to Japan, the 15 May Peace Parade was held in in Ginowan on 18 May to question the current reality of Okinawa’s base burden.


The participants separated into two groups to parade around the US Military Futenma Airfield and consider peace and the base issues, left unsolved after over a half century since reversion. According to the sponsor’s report, 2190 participated.


After the parade, the Mass Prefectural People’s Rally to Protect Our Peace And Livelihoods was held. The rally adopted a declaration pleading for the realization of an Okinawa without bases and a world without war.


The parade set out from Ginowan City Hall, separated into one group taking the southern route and another the northern. The two groups walked for about 3 hours to converge at the Ginowan Ciry Sports Ground, which became the meeting site for the Prefectural People’s Mass Rally.


　

The southern route passed in front of Okinawa International University where a US Military helicopter crashed in 2004. The accident of 20 years ago was re-etched into memory in passing by the bishop wood tree, charred in the accident.


The northern route group paraded along passing the base’s Nodake and Oyama Gates. During the parade, chants arose, such as “Stop Futenma’s noisy racket!” or “No new base at Henoko!” According to the sponsor’s report, the Prefectural People’s Mass Rally’s parade attracted about 2,300 participants.


In taking the stage, Governor Denny Tamaki alluded to the fact of Okinawa’s heavy base burden, even 52 years after reversion, noting, “We can’t let the memory of our war simply blow off like a breeze. We shall honestly pass on to the next generations the lessons we learned in the Battle of Okinawa! We want to proclaim to the world Okinawa’s heart, longing for peace!”


Rally Executive Committee Joint Representative Hajime Koichi stressed, “Not just Okinawa, but all Japan is being led into a crisis of war. We have  to raise the alarm!”


Joint Representative of the Peace, Human Rights, and Environment Forum Hiroyuki Some touched on the new base construction at Henoko, questioning, “What’s the point of regional autonomy if the Govrnment can force its policies on us, in total neglect of the will of Okinawa’s people!”


Original Japanese article: Okinawa Times, published 19 May 2024.   https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/3235227b8ee4142b7eade6542a3174f6875187c0


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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