Even after finally being returned to “normalcy”, disorder reigns in the Prefectural Assembly over the question of the Washington Office, with the query, “Is it ok not to uphold the law?” (26fe25)

Splendor of Okinawa: Monks Cress, roadside Uruma, 14mr24.


Okinawa Prefecture’s registration of staff at its  Washington Office, set up as a paper corporation, has become a problem. 


Moreover, on 25 February, it came to light that, since several months ago, the Prefecture has been out of contact with its American lawyer, by its assertion, “We’re dealing through our contractor,  Washington Core LLC.


So answered Governor’s Chief of Staff Masahito Tamari, at the Prefectural Assembly General Session that day, during general questioning by Liberal Democrat (LDP) Representative Dai Shimabukuro.


Regarding the continuing issue of the Washington Office, on 12 February, the Prefectural Assembly passed a motion requesting that the 2025 Preliminary General Budget Proposal not be deliberated. 


To counter that motion, Governor Denny Tamaki expressed no plan to respond by withdrawing or altering the budget proposal. So, the abnormal situation of an undebated budget proposal went on and on at the Assembly.


At the start of the 25 February general questioning session, Prefectural Assembly Chair Kyoki Nakagawa announced the start of debate on the budget proposal and his motion was approved unanimously by the Assembly. Thus the Assembly, after a 2 week hiatus, finally returned to normalcy.


At that day’s General questioning, Representative Shimabukuro repeatedly queried whether any Prefectural staff members had been in contact with the American lawyer who had, at the time of its origin, handled the establishment of the Office. 


Governor’s Chief of Staff Tamari avoided clarity with his lawyerly responses. However, finally, he admitted, “Dealings have been carried out through a contractor, so currently there have been no direct contacts.”


According to sources in the know, even in the Prefectural Inspection Committee, the point has been seen as problematic that the Prefecture has had no ability to question its own lawyer. So, Representative Shimabukuro questioned the Prefectural leadership, skeptically scolding, “This is no joke! Your job as the administration is to strive to uphold the law. Do you really think it’s ok, even if laws are not upheld?”


Original Japanese article: Sankei Shimbun, published Tuesday 25 February 2025 at 18:05.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/541662882c65a241952df35c15130e221176b4eb


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 the 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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