Because Costco cannot obtain gasoline within Okinawa Prefecture, the company’s branch president holds discussion with Governor Denny. (15ap25)

Splendor of Okinawa: Treasure Flower, roadside Futenma, 7ap25.


On 14 April Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki received a visit at the Prefectural Office from Japan Branch President Ken Theriault of Costco Wholesale Japan, the company that runs the US  membership supermarket Costco.


President Theriault came to hopefully ask the prefecture for assistance, since the company cannot procure gasoline within the prefecture for  the gas station annexed to its Costco Okinawa Nanjo Warehouse Outlet in Nanjo City.


 According to President Theriault, his company cannot obtain the cooperation of oil-related companies to procure gas within the prefecture. So currently  special tanks are used to transport gasoline from South Korea and Aichi Prefecture to Okinawa.


President Theriault alluded to his consideration of appealing to the Japan Fair Trade Commission, noting, “In the near future, given that we’d like to increase our warehouse outlets, we certainly will want to have permission to provide gasoline within the prefecture.” Even outside Okinawa, there are examples of regional oil dealer groups opposed to Costco’s provision of cheap gasoline. 


Governor Tamaki responded, “We recognize legal action of anyone in protection of their rights. However, if we hold to the concept that we’d like to contribute to the region with friendly relations, we’d also like to discover whether or not compromises can be made.”


President Theriault, with a view toward the traffic jams surrounding his store in Nanjo, also requested expedited preparations on the “Southwest Highway”, a prefectural project for a high speed expressway. The governor explained that from the viewpoint of the Prefecture, it was not yet possible to to project a completion date at the present stage, due to difficulties in acquiring part of the necessary land.


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Monday 14 April 2025 at 14:50

/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e0c39f168291f54201271f1fc8c5c0a6c093ec41


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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