Denny in the News

Splendor of Okinawa: Gazania, roadside Uruma, 31au25 The Ground Self Defense Force (GSDF) has decided on the deployment this year of  an upgraded long range version of series 12 surface to ship guided missiles to  GSDF Camp Kengun in Kumamoto City.  In order to defend against China’s strong maritime expansion, the Defense Ministry is hustling to reinforce its defense capacity in the southwest island chain (Trans. note: Ryukyu Archipelago). In a few years hence, deployments are also planned for Camp Yufuin at Yushi City in Oita Prefecture and Camp Katsuren in Uruma City In Okinawa Prefecture. This deployment is out of concern over a Taiwan crisis (Trans. Note: a Chinese invasion of Taiwan). At the moment, the range for GSDF surface to ship missiles on hand is only several hundred kilometers. The capacity of the newly introduced missile version is in excess of 1,000 kilometers. If deployed in Kyushu, the coast of China and the sea around Taiwan will be within range. Not onl...

Splendor of Okinawa: Hellenia, Gushikawa RC Church, 11au24 The Military Turnover Committee is made up of the Prefecture and the communities that surround US Military bases. At its meeting on action on requests to Tokyo, Governor Tamaki strongly requested, “It is essential that the US Military  and the SDF (Self Defense Force) act as a set on the burden of base reduction!” So, Governor Tamaki went to Tokyo to visit the Defense Ministry. There he handed a list of requests on base reductions to Deputy Minister Honda. He requested that Okinawa’s base burden not be increased in the military preparedness reinforcements due to the 3 Document Revisions of the US-Japan Security Treaty. The governor stated, “We believe that the reinforcement must not be linked  to any increase in Okinawa’s burden of bases. So, we consider it essential that base reduction be considered with the SDF and the US Military as a set.” Deputy Defense Minister Honda replied only, “The reduction of Okinawa’s base...

Splendor of Okinawa: Scarlet Jungleflame, roadside Uruma, 26au25 On the afternoon of 28 August,  Governor Denny Tamaki took off for the US State of Hawaii to attend ceremonies and such in memory of the first group of emigrants from Okinawa to land in Hawaii 125 years ago. At Naha Airport, Governor Tamaki responded on record to press squad queries. He showed his enthusiasm for the trip, noting, “I’d like to deepen exchanges, indeed, deepen bonds, in meeting with those with any connections to our prefecture, be it those born here in the prefecture or those related to it.” The governor will land in Honolulu on the morning of 28 August local time and remain there until 2 September. He will participate in activities such as the 40th anniversary celebration of the sister relations between Hawaii and Okinawa and the 125th anniversary memorial celebration of Okinawan immigrants in Hawaii. He will also conduct exchanges with those in Hawaii related to Okinawa Prefecture. Governor Tamaki wil...

Splendor of Okinawa: Scarlet Jungleflame, roadside Uruma, 26au25 Government sources have confirmed that the Cabinet Office has settled on a plan to increase the estimated 2026 Okinawa Promotion budget to 282.9 billion yen, an increase of 18.7 billion yen over its last year request.  However, that fell short of Okinawa Prefecture ‘s request for a budget  above the 300 billion level as had been the standard.  As for Okinawa Promotion, the Prefecture had figured 77.8 billion yen for lump sum grants whose purpose had already been settled and 10 billion yen for special business promotion expenses for assistance  to communities.  Among the new projects, 1.2 billion yen would be allocated for assistance to research on state of the art medical technology and its applications. However, funds for the Okinawa Promotion Plan budget have come to  fluctuate according to the Prefecture’s stance in opposition to the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan...

Splendor of Okinawa: Golden Trumpet, roadside Uruma, 24au25. At the 26 August  meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Okinawa Promotion Study Committee on the 2026 budget proposal for Okinawa Promotion, the Cabinet Office explained its plan to request  a budget appropriation sum of 282.9 billion yen,  which exceeds the previous year’s request by 900 million yen. The proposal was generally approved. 　 So, Okinawa’s request for funds in the range of 300 billion yen has thus been cut back for the fifth year in a row. From 2013 to 2021, the Cabinet Office had yearly maintained the Okinawa Development Budget at the 300 billion yen level. However, since then, large scale cuts to the level of the Prefecture’s estimated budget requests have been continuous. The tactic seems aimed at jolting Governor Denny Tamaki from his opposition to the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in the prefecture. Original Japanese article: JIJI.co...

Splendor of Okinawa: Arrowleaf Sida, roadside Uruma, 24au25. The National High School Baseball Tournament championship game on 23 August at Koshien Stadium ended with a 3-1 victory for Okinawa Shogaku over Nichidai 3.  Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tanaka (65)  witnessed the finals from high up in the “Alps” among the supporters of Okinawa Sho Gaku, with their eyes set on their first championship in the summer Koshien tournament. Wearing a pale blue Kariyushi shirt, his voice passionate, the governor exuded, “This year is the pivotal 80th year since the end of the war. And here we are with Okinawan high school kids taking the  championship! In another bit of history, I think they’ve left their magnificent footprints here. I’d like that to remain as a memory for them all, I’d like to have them pass on the memory of this year. I’d say they’ve carved out a new history in baseball for us. For a great many of these kids, this was really their dream. I think that, if they ...

Splendor of Okinawa: Chinese Hibiscus roadside Uruma, 24au25 On 23 August, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki was constantly updating his X (formerly Twitter) account. On that day, the National High School Baseball Tournament had been held and he repeatedly twitted “Significant!”, referring to the great achievement of Okinawa Shogaku’s first win of the early summer tournament’s championship. On that day. Governor Tamaki, wearing Kariyushi (Okinawa’s traditional brightly colored shirt), had watched the game from the cheap “Alps” benches high up in the bleachers at Koshien Stadium. 　 After the game was over, the governor posted on X, “At this pivotal point of 80 years since the war, they’ve achieved this national conquest at Koshien’s early summer tournament. They’ve imprinted their footprints here. I  ponder the deep significance of that, along with the thrill of their victory.” Original Japanese article: Nikkei Sports, published Saturday 23 August 2025 at 16:22. https://news...

Splendor of Okinawa: Crepe Ginger, Gushikawa RC Church, 24au25 On 24 August, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki (65) was still adding new posts on his personal X account. He was praising Okinawa Shogaku, which had just won the finals of the early summer 107th National High School Baseball  Championship Tournament on 23 August. In the finals,  Okinawa Shogaku beat Nichidai 3 from Western Tokyo 3 to 1. Shogaku had won spring selection tournaments twice. So the Koshien Tournament became the team’s third big win. Okinawan teams have now won the Koshien tournament three times. This is the second win for an Okinawan team since the win in the summer tournament by Konan High School in 2010.  Governor Tamaki posted, “With 23 August 2025 in the pivotal 80th year since the war’s end, Okinawa Shogaku has achieved a National Victory at Koshien. I think that we feel  a deeply significant  sense of victory in having our team’s footprint again embedded there." On the day ...

Splendor of Okinawa: Fountainbush, roadside Uruma 17au25 The National High School Baseball Championship Finals: Nihon University Third Senior High School (Nichidai) vs. Okinawa Shogaku Senior High School (Shogaku) was held at Koshien Stadium on 23 August.  Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki took a bench in the Alps (trans. note: the cheap benches high up in the bleachers), while Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike chose a high seat behind the catcher’s net to view the game. Wearing a beige hat, with a Kitty-chan towel around her neck, Governor Koike cheered on the youthful players. 　 After the end of the fifth inning, Governor Koike moved to the Alps seats up behind first base to cheer her team on with the cheerleader squad, prompting  excited cries of welcome, such as, “It’s the real Governor Koike!” and “How cute!” In addition, House of Councilors Member and native of Okinawa Erika Imai watched the game, commenting continuously on her own social media. (Trans.note: Shogaku won...

Splendor of Okinawa: Lantana, Gushikawa RC Church, 3au25 In the midst of World War II in 1944, a US submarine sunk the Tsushima Maru, leaving  1484 named and confirmed dead, including children. Today, on 22 August, the 81st anniversary of the sinking, a memorial service will be held to remember the souls of the children and other victims at 11 a.m at the Tiny Cherry Blossom Pillar in Asahigaoka Park in the Wakasa District of Naha. Representative of the Board of Directors of the Tsushima Maru Memorial Committee Masakatsu Takara will offer the memorial address and Governor Denny Tamaki and Naha City Mayor Satoru Chinen will attend with messages of condolence. 　 Following last year’s lead, taking into account the advanced age of some mourners, seats will be arranged in the nearby Tsushima Maru Memorial Museum, where the site of the memorial service will be broadcast live. This year the portraits of 5 more victims have been newly added to the museum’s Tsushima Maru display, bringing th...

Splendor of Okinawa: Nerium, Gushikawa RC Church, 17au25 Unaffiliated Yoshitaka Nakayama (58), the previous mayor, was re-elected for a fifth term in the opening of ballots on 17 August in Okinawa Prefecture’s Ishigaki City Mayoral Election. In responding on the record to press queries, the new mayor made it apparent that he planned to continue the seaborne inspections of the Senkaku Islands that the City had previously carried out. But he added, “I’m going to ask the Nation for permission to land on the islands. I want to put our Nation into action!” The city’s mayoral election was a one on one battle between then Candidate Nakayama and unaffiliated novice Yoshiyuki Toita (55), who  received support from the forces of All Okinawa, which backs Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki.  According to the election results, the citizens chose a continuation of the administration of Mayor Nakayama, in spite of the possible impact of accepting the Nation’s US-Japan Security Alliance. Alluding ...