Denny in the News

Splendor of Okinawa: Chinese  Hibiscus, roadside Futenma, 26ja24 The Government is proceeding with its plan to relocate the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture.  On 29 January, the Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau began the work of driving piles into Oura Bay on the eastern side of US Military Camp Schwab to reinforce the weak seabed spread out in the sea area planned for landfill there. At a press conference held the same day, Keiichiro Tachibana, the bureau’s deputy chief, confirmed the start of the operation. At its deepest, the weak seabed at Henoko is spread out over 90 meters below the sea surface. However, the Government will drive the piles down to only 70 meters below the surface, which has successfully been done before by Japanese companies and is expected to provide adequate seabed reinforcement.  At the press conference, Deputy Chief Tachibana alluded to the pile-driving construction method, emphasizin...

Splendor of Okinawa: Blue Sage, roadside Futenma. 26ja24. The Defense Ministry plans to relocate the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa. On 29 January, the Ministry began work installing sand-filled pipe piles to strengthen the weak seabed spread out in Oura Bay.  The current status has been confirmed.  From  around 3 p.m. on 29 January, at the sea area site, a work-ship was driving multiple metal piles into the sea. The Ministry, over the next 4 years and one month, will shore up the seabed by using about 71,000  piles, made by pouring sand into metal pipes.  After that, the whole area will be landfilled. When the relocation is complete in the middle of the 2030s, the Futenma Airfield is targeted to revert to Japan. For the sake of the weak seabed strengthening work, the Government approved design changes by proxy in place of the Prefecture, which opposes the relocation. Driving in piles first began last December and work...

Splendor of Okinawa: Madagascar Periwinkle, roadside Futenma, 26ja24 The theme park JUNGLIA, now under construction in the northern section of Okinawa Island, is set to open on 25 July. In response to reporter queries on it on the morning of 29 January, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki commented, quoting a Kansai University report, “The enormous ripple effect of it will be about 7 trillion yen over 15 years! Moreover, consideration has been continually taken that no traffic jams and such problems should occur. I’d like to expect from this project a huge jump-start in our economic development.” With its targeted 6930 yen entry fee, what will be the strategy for the profitability of JUNGLIA Okinawa, due to start operation this July? Original Japanese article: Okinawa Times, published Wednesday, 29 January 2025 at 10:13. https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/73a31334a39f7459b2588c433ee430acbaa6b4fe Denny in the News: Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Althou...

Splendor of Okinawa: Poinsettia, Uruma, 13de24 All Okinawa supports Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki. So, at the Prefectural Office on 27 January, the morning after its female candidate lost the Okinawa City mayoral election, whose ballots were opened on 26 January, Governor Tamaki responded to press queries about the ebb in fortunes of All Okinawa. The governor stated, “I’m not, by any means, the owner of the group called All Okinawa. It’s considered as one of the groups supporting me. But the group seems to engage also in a various and sundry array of activities.” On that day, Governor Tamaki appeared at the Prefectural Office around 8:50 in the morning.  There to meet him in the first floor lobby we’re only 3 reporters from mainland Japan media, including Sankei Shimbun. It was an unthinkably lonely atmosphere for his arrival at work, in light of the previous day‘s noteworthy opening of mayoral election ballots. In last June’s Okinawa prefectural Assembly elections,...

Splendor of Okinawa: Chinese Ixora, roadside Futenma, 1no24 Despite support from the forces of All Okinawa, Candidate Mio Nakamura failed to win the Okinawa City mayoral election. On 26 January, reflecting on the loss, Governor Denny Tamaki opined, “The result was a great pity. However, succession to office is the result of the people’s judgment, whether it be for city administrative inheritance or reform. She couldn’t penetrate the electorate with her policies.” All Okinawa, which supports Governor Tamaki, had also suffered defeat in the Miyako City mayoral election. With the coming House of Councilors and gubernatorial elections on the horizon, the governor was queried on the necessity for a reform of his party’s organizational structure. Governor Tamaki responded, “The House of Councilors election candidates have yet to come to a total agreement. We’re progressing toward preparations for a framework in  order not to be too late.” As for the winner of the Okinawa City mayoral ele...

Splendor of Okinawa: Fairy Lily,  Gushikawa RC Church, 17no24. At his scheduled press conference on 21 January, Governor Denny Tamaki announced that he has invited Peter Kaznik, chair of the Nuclear Issues Research Center at American University, to Okinawa. Professor Kaznik is to give the keynote lecture at the “US-Japan Security Alliance and Japan Symposium”, sponsored by the   80th Anniversary of World War II Commemoration to be held at the Ryukyu Shimpo Hall. In January of 2024, Professor Kaznik joined his name with over 400 other world experts,  such as film director Oliver Stone, to a declaration of opposition to the new base construction at Henoko in Nago and a demand for its halt.  On his visit to the US last September, the governor had met Professor Kaznik. There, the governor scheduled a visit to Okinawa for him between 3 and 7 February to  view the actual new base construction site at Henoko and hold discussions with relevant individuals. At the presse...

Splendor of Okinawa: Peruvian Zinnia, roadside Futenma, 25oc24. Okinawa Shogaku Jr-Sr High School (Oki-Sho) and Enagic Sports High School (Enagic), both from Okinawa Prefecture, have been selected to play in the 97th National Invitational High School Baseball Tournament at Koshien starting on 18 March. On the news, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki issued his comment on 24 January, noting, “It’s been 11 years since 2 schools from Okinawa have achieved the spectacular feat of being selected to play together in the National Invitational Tournament. I offer my heartfelt applause to them both!” Oki-Sho has had the experience of winning an invitation to the tournament twice. That in mind, the governor offered his expectations, “In the Kyushu Tournament, Oki-Sho pulled off a spectacular victory in the decisive game. At the National tournament my chest will fill with pride at the team’s performance.” Referring to Enagic, the governor noted, “I was astonished at the remarkable achieveme...

Splendor of Okinawa: Lantana, roadside Futenma, 25oc24. On the morning of 21 January, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki held his regular press conference. He took up the topic of the accident in which a US Marine MV22 Osprey mistakenly dropped a 400-450 kilo load into the sea around Ie Island Auxiliary Airfield.  The Governor criticized the mistake, noting, “An error of even a few more inches could have ended in a tragic accident! Such accidents cause unease among the surrounding communities.” The governor further expressed his intention of requesting the Marines and the Okinawa Defense Bureau to determine the root cause of the accident and prevent its recurrence. On 16 December, the Marines were carrying out training on dropping pallets loaded with rations. The Marines explained, “Due to an unanticipated change in the wind, the payload missed the appointed drop zone and landed in the sea.” As of now, no damage or personal injury has been confirmed. However, Governor Tamaki ...

Splendor of Okinawa: Bougainvillea, roadside Futenma, 25oc24. A woman in China posted on an internet social media site (SNS), “I bought an uninhabited Japanese island!” Moreover, she expressed her intention to visit the island that she owns in Okinawa Prefecture this summer. Regarding her announcement, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki stated on 21 January, “We have some concerns over letting her come here.” The uninhabited island is called Yanaha Island and lies about 1 km. offshore Izena Village on Izena Island, itself about 20 km. off the coast of Okinawa Island. According to land deeds and such, as of February of 2021, a Chinese company, run by the woman’s relatives, owns about half of the island. 2 years ago in an SNS, the woman posted a video claiming, “I bought a Japanese uninhabited island.” Moreover, on a Japanese SNS site, she courted controversy, posting, “This will be a huge problem for the Defense Ministry!” According to Izena Village, in addition to its village pro...

Splendor of Okinawa: Shower of Gold, roadside Futenma, (22no24) Governor Denny Tamaki held his scheduled press conference on 21 January. In it, he answered questions about the influence of Trump's inauguration as US president on the US-Japan Security Treaty. The governor noted, “When there’s a change in presidents, government policies also change. So, for instance, it’s unconscionable for the US to request additional burdens on Okinawa, whose excessive burden of bases continues to increase.” He further noted that he will gather more information and consider countermeasures. On the reform of the US-Japan SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement), the governor noted, “I want to keep a keen eye on whether the Japanese Government is proceeding with exchanges of opinions on it, including how to reform it.” On the impact of Trump’s inauguration on the East-Asian situation, the governor stated, “How shall we haggle with him? We’ll have to gather information, taking into consideration Mr. Trump an...

Splendor of Okinawa: Peregrina, roadside Futenma, 1no24 Ballots were opened in Okinawa Prefecture’s Miyako City mayoral election on 19 January. All Okinawa, which supports Governor Denny Tamaki, had supported its related incumbent Kazuyuki Zakimi (75), who ended up losing the election, although endorsed by the Constitutional Democratic Party, Communist Party, Social Democratic Party, and  Okinawa Social Mass Party. In response to press coverage at the Prefectural Office on 20 January, Governor Tamaki lamented, “We went to bat for him, but the result was really sad.” Of the 11 cities in the prefecture, only Miyakojima City had an incumbent mayor aligned with All Okinawa. However, now the incumbent has lost the election to the city’s  former vice-mayor Noboru Kakazu (61), who had run as an independent. So, the number of All Okinawa related city mayors has ended up at zero. Governor Tamaki claimed, “As for my feelings, once leadership elections are over, I take no sides. I make n...

Splendor of Okinawa: Purple Allamanda, roadside Futenma, 1no24 Uechiryu School of Karate  Kenyu Club, chaired by Kiyohide Shinjo, held its first of the year training session at Matsuzaki Dojo (Martial Arts Hall) in Naha on 16 January. 　 With a conspicuously earnest stance, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki (65) faced his new year’s first training. While confirming the karate moves one by one, he spoke energetically about the first practice of the New Year. Eyes aglisten, the governor intimated, “While in training, my idle thoughts clear. I can hone in on my soul. It’s especially meaningful to study karate here in its birthplace, Okinawa, where karate has come to support us, body and soul.” In 2018, on taking office, Governor Tamaki was appointed chair of the Okinawa Traditional Karate School Promotion Committee. In May of 2019, he began actually practicing karate on the side at the Uechi School of Karate Kenyu Club at Miyazaki Dojo. Weaving his efforts in training into his hectic publi...