On news of the sudden passing of Ginowan mayor, Okinawa’s Governor Tamaki notes in mourning, “We disagreed, except in the removal of danger”, adding an episode from a past dinner together. (27jy24)

Splendor of Okinawa: Scarlet Jungleflame, Mihama Chatan, 26jy24



Mayor Masanori Matsukawa of Ginowan in Okinawa Prefecture died suddenly while on a business trip to Tokyo. Referring to his passing to the press squad at the Okinawa Prefectural Office on the afternoon of 26 July, Governor Denny Tamaki stated, “I was really taken aback on learning of his sudden demise. When I first heard of it, I was left speechless. I offer my heartfelt regrets.”


On the question of the relocation of US Military Futenma Airfield to Henoko in Nago, Mayor Matsukawa had approved of the move. That put him at odds with Governor Tamaki’s stance in opposition to the new base construction.

　

On the disagreement, the governor stated,   “Aside from the point of removing the danger of the Futenma Base without the delay of even a day, Mayor Matsukawa and I didn’t agree on anything at all. I want the National Government to accept my point. Its relocation of the base to Henoko is not the sole policy solution. I honestly came to ask that I wanted to work earnestly together with the mayor to remove the danger of that base without a day’s delay, as hoped for by our prefecture’s people.”


The governor also related how one time over dinner together, Mayor Matsukawa had said, “Maybe your thinking and mine are at odds, but, I feel that we are together in our concept of working earnestly, you as governor for our prefecture’s people, and me as mayor for my city’s people. Let’s get out and do the best we can!”


The governor added, repeatedly, “The mayor was a man of extremely deep passion. As a veteran in political administration, he had his own sort of dignity.”


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Friday 26 July 2024 at 17:11.  

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/20c529ee54bd18dec99ba182e3c5f0b6931676b3


Denny in the News:

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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