“I think it’s a pity!”, laments the governor of Okinawa, on the non-authorization of account settlements related to the US ‘paper’ corporation run by Okinawa Prefecture, adding that he will take corrective measures. (30no24)

Splendor of Okinawa: Impatiens, roadside Futenma, 22no24


A problem has arisen over Okinawa Prefecture’s setting up a “paper” company to manage its Washington DC Office. At his scheduled news conference on 28 November, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki addressed the Prefectural Assembly’s non-authorization of the Washington Office’s related expenses for inclusion in the 2023 general account settlement.



The governor lamented, “Although I think it’s a pity, it must be taken very seriously!” At the press conference, Governor Tamaki further stated, “We’ve found the point needing revision to put the Prefecture’s paperwork suitably in line with Japanese law.” Thus, the governor acknowledged that the existence of the DC Office is improper and that he intends to order the implementation of corrective measures. 


However, the governor added, “But even from this very moment, we’ll have to take responsibility for explaining with our best efforts in order to continue the office’s activities”, thus indicating his intention of keeping the office in existence.


The office was established in 2015 with the purpose of pleading to the US side the Prefecture’s view in such areas as its opposition to the relocation of the US Military Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago.


Among its measures to procure a working visa for its resident official, the Prefecture set up its own wholly owned company. However, the Prefecture could not register the company, since the stock it held was public assets. In procuring the visa as well, the Prefecture was not quite truthful in confirming the submitted documents, which denied the relation between the Prefecture and the employment.


Original Japanese article: Yomiuri Shimbun, published Thursday 28 November 2024 at 15:42.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/81dc288749e865df44430a044c4ba15e9b0b400b


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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