A local celebrity and others have submitted a signed petition to Okinawa Prefecture requesting the closure of its Washington Office, claiming it is making the prefecture a “lawless land”. (28mr25).

Splendor of Okinawa: Rhododendron, roadside Futenma, 24mr25


Okinawa Prefecture established its Washington Office in the US as a paper corporation. However, in obtaining a work visa for its resident employee there, the Prefecture submitted paperwork of dubious truthfulness to the US Government. 


Considering this problem, a local Okinawan celebrity Satoshi Kawamitsu, who is beloved under his stage-name Kawamitsu Shenshe- (Ryukyuan: Teacher), was hired as the representative of “The Okinawa Prefectural Residents Group for Requesting the Closure of the Washington Office”. 


On 27 March, he submitted their petition, addressed to Governor Denny Tamaki. The petition points out, “Neither the materials nor the reports we requested of the Prefectural Executive Division, the Prefectural Assembly, the 100 Article Commission, and the Investigation Validity Committee have been submitted. What has become an absolutely huge source of distrust is that the Prefecture’s defense has been continuous stalling and concealment.”


The petition added, “If we accept the presumption that it’s ok for the Prefecture to break the law without anyone taking responsibility, Okinawa Prefecture will end up becoming a ‘lawless land!’ So, we request the prompt closure of the Washington Office.” 


Group Representative Kawamitsu visited the Prefectural Office on 27 March. There he submitted the petition for the closure of the Washington Office along with its 619 signatures.


Original Japanese article: Sankei Shimbun, published Thursday 27 March 2025 at 17:34.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/50531778b513a0fdfebcad73d4a9e2144b91d4c7


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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