Naha Assemblyman Ryo Okuma has received the backing of the LDP in this summer’s House of Councillors election for the Okinawa District. (24fe25)


Splendor of Okinawa: Purslane, roadside Uruma, 14mr24.


Facing this summer’s House of Councillors election for the one seat to be contested in the Okinawa District, the Okinawa Federation of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) held its candidate selection committee meeting on 23 February.


The committee decided to back Naha City Assemblyman Ryo Okuma (38). It will next petition the party headquarters to  publicly confirm its choice.


All Okinawa, which supports Governor Denny Tamaki in his opposition to the relocation of the U.S. Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture, is currently arranging for a run by  Okinawa Social Masses Party Chief Tetsuji Takara (71), the current incumbent of the seat from a regional political party.


With the national ruling party (LDP) supporting the relocation and All Okinawa opposing it, it looks to be the recipe for a battle. It will further be a skirmish on the way to the 2026 gubernatorial election.


In addition, the Sansei Party has committed to backing Professor Tomohisa Wada (65), a rookie from Ryukyu University.


Ryo Okuma was born in Naha City and graduated from Ryukyu University. After serving as a police officer, he was elected to the Naha City Assembly in 2013 and is now in his 3rd term. 


The LDP Federation candidate selection committee is composed of  21 members, grounded in Okinawa Prefecture’s National  Diet members, federation officials, medical and health officials, and individuals related to business.


Original Japanese article: Mainichi Shimbun, published Sunday 23 February 2025 at 17:07. Byline: Hiroshi Higa.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/04979d2b40ce9227a9e7c30a2a584baf477843e6


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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