Denny in the News

Splendor of Okinawa:  Globe Amaranth, roadside Uruma, 28se25 With just one year remaining in his term, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki took questions from the general media on 29 September over his plans to seek another term in next September’s gubernatorial election. In it, the governor expressed his views on the relocation of Ginowan’s US Military Futenma Airfield to Nago’s Henoko, both within the prefecture, noting, “Okinawa’s US Military base problem, among others,  will be a huge point of contention. The governor criticized the relocation, noting, “Putting the lack of clarity in the reversion of our land, its budget, its environmental problems all aside, isn’t the relocation also opaque in terms of how much the tax payers will have to shell out for its construction?” There seems to be no halt in the ebbing tide of the strength of All Okinawa, the governor’s own base of support. The party’s crushing defeat in the Prefectural Assembly election last year was followe...

Splendor of Okinawa: Winter Daffodil, roadside Uruma, 28se25. (YAESE) Ballots for the Yaese District Mayoral Election will be opened on 25 January 2026, in tandem with the end of the current mayor’s term. District Assembly Representative Nobuo Kamiya (65) of the Communist Party firmed up his intention to be a candidate on 27 September. Hereafter, he will formally announce his candidacy. Assemblyman Kamiya set out his goals, noting, “I will reform the district’s administration. I will make progress on developing our community sewage system and newly establish an integrated  primary and middle school. I will bring into reality your requests for peace and against war. I will call for the immediate end to the new base construction at Henoko in Nago and support Governor Denny Tamaki!”  Nobuo Kamiya was born on 3 June 1960 in the district’s Kogusuku section and graduated from the Prefectural Agricultural University. In September of 2017, he was elected to the District Assembly wher...

Splendor of Okinawa: Scarlet Jungleflame, roadside Uruma, 28se25 Constitutional Democratic Party Member Yoshinori Suematsu, chairman of its US-Japan Status of Forces Research Committee held a press conference at the Okinawa Prefectural Office on 25 September.  Regarding the SOFA, which gives special rights to the US Military, the chairman expressed his intention of aiming to enact the committee’s proposal for its revision within this year. The committee is forthwith gathering concrete content for the proposal . From 24 September, the committee members, including over 10 members of the House of Representatives, along with others, have been observing areas such as the US Military Kadena Airfield,  On 24 September, Chairman Suematsu and other members of the Research Committee, after confirming the circumstances of the thunderous din of aircraft taking off and landing at the bases, held a symposium in Okinawa City in the Prefecture on the SOFA. The attendees heard from Associate P...

Splendor of Okinawa: Graceful Spurge, roadside Uruma, 24se25 During general questioning at the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly meeting on 24 September, Assembly Member Ichiro Ohama questioned Governor Denny Tamaki over his response to China, which aims to usurp Ishigaki City’s Senkaku Island  Chain, if it were to propose joint management of the chain. He nailed down his own opposition with, “We must certainly never even bend an ear to such!” Assemblyman Ohama further pointed out, “China is a country that freely takes the territory of others as its own.” If China were to propose “joint management” of Okinawa Prefecture’s Senkaku Island Chain, he asked, “With joint management would our seas be peaceful, as hoped, and should we propose this to our Nation?” Governor Tamaki replied, “We’ve never considered such a hypothetical situation.” But, Assemblyman Ohama pressed on, noting, “You should flatly refuse any such offer!” Assemblyman Ohama also confirmed the Prefecture’s viewpoint on the p...

Splendor of Okinawa: Summer Snapdragon, roadside Uruma, 24se25. “We’re looking forward to our prefecture’s economic development!” On receiving news of Orion Beer’s listing on the stock exchange on 25 September, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki exuded a sense of expectation. This was the first time a manufacturer based in the prefecture had been listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime. From finance related individuals within the prefecture were heard voices of expectation for its effects on the region’s economic stimulation, with comments such as, “Regional stockholders will increase and the impetus for people in the prefecture to invest will be enhanced!” In 1957, Orion Beer was founded as ”Okinawa Beer”. It firmly established its position  as the “prefectural people’s beer” within the prefecture,  aggressively boasting its market share. However, the environment in the beer market worsened, due to  intensive competition from other alcohol products. In 2019, the U...

Splendor of Okinawa: Silver Cock’s Comb, roadside Uruma, 24se25. On 24 September, Governor Denny Tamaki made a visit to the Orion Beer Brewery, the first such enterprise in the prefecture to be listed on the Tokyo Prime Stock Market  Exchange. In his comments he declared, “What a joy!” Since the beginning of the brewery in 1957, the company has accompanied Okinawa in its post-war recovery. As the representative beer of the region, Orion has contributed immensely to the prefecture’s growth and value. The governor alluded to the now daily sight of large numbers of tourists strolling the streets, decked out in Orion Beer T-shirts. He stressed that such activity was bringing about huge effects in both tourism and other industries. At the brewery, the governor noted the rise in trust, brand value, and such, stating, “In addition to the joint advancement of industries and new business openings, I feel that an economic ripple effect is being brought about in a great many other sectors.” T...

Splendor of Okinawa: Ground Orchid, roadside Uruma, 7se25 Okinawa-born US Major League Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts received the Okinawa Prefecture Glory Award and with it a sanshiin   (a three-stringed banjo-like instrument) crafted by Yoshimori Arakaki (83). In return, Manager Roberts sent him a Shohei Ohtani uniform with a handwritten message on it. On 19 September, In place of Manager Roberts, Assembly Speaker Kyoki Nakagawa handed the gift to Mr. Arakaki at the Prefectural Assembly. Yoshimori Arakaki had traveled to the US with Governor Denny Tamaki to present the Prefectural Glory Award to Manager Roberts. On that occasion, Mr. Arakaki also presented him with a picture of Shurei Gate, which he had painted. At the presentation ceremony, Mr. Arakaki stated, “I pray for the efforts of Manager Roberts in the future. And, I’ll do my utmost to make sure that sanshin becomes a major league musical instrument!” Assembly Speaker Nakagawa responded, “The bond between Manag...

  Splendor of Okinawa: Clubed Begonia, 13au25 On 22 September, the first day of general questioning at the scheduled September Okinawa Assembly session, 8 members from the opposition side took the podium. In response to a query from unaligned but Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) supporter Shinobu Higa on the question of Etomidate, which had been designated a harmful drug in March, Okinawa Prefectural Police Headquarters Chief Ryuichiro Kobori confirmed that, as of the end of August, there had been 7 incidents with 7 victims exposed to the drug, 4 of them under 20. In response to the following two queries from Zenko Nakazato, who is unaligned but supportive of the LDP, Headquarters Chief Kobori reported that of the total of about 4,000 designated Maru-Yu  Companies (joint leisure businesses with excellent marine area safety measures), 110 were in compliance with preparations for coastal leisure safety measures. He further explained that the Police were creating measures prioritiz...

Splendor of Okinawa: Milky Way, roadside Uruma, 21se25. Yoshiteru Ishikawa was born on Henza Island. His father was a Yanbarusen (Ryukyuan: sailing ships doing trade around northern Okinawa) carpenter and sailor. He learned the craft from his father and settled in Itoman after the war. At 23,  Mr. Ishikawa started work at Itoman Shipbuilding where he plied his skills as a ship carpenter, building traditional wooden ships, until his 50s. Mr. Ishikawa’s breakfast consists of bread, salad, and fruit. He also has some affection for a bit of sake or beer. He claims, “There’s nothing I really like or dislike, but I won’t eat spicy curry!” When Governor Tamaki urged him, “Please stay healthy till 120, better yer 150!”, Mr. Ishikawa countered with a laugh, “Let’s all, please, do our best to hit 120!” After retiring from ship carpentry, Mr. Ishikawa  put his hand to model wooden ship construction. He passed the governor a model sailing sabani (Ryukyuan: a long sleek wooden canoe) whi...

Splendor of Okinawa: Busy Lizzie, roadside Uruma, 31au25. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani has made statements on the Self Defense Force (SDF) deployments in Okinawa, such as, “Excessive disruptive activities continue.” In an on-the-record response to  press queries on 19 September, Governor Denny Tamaki expressed his understanding that protest activities, within the current limits of freedom, were acceptable. Moreover, the governor stated, “Added to the excessive weight of the burden of US bases, from now on, we have to consider that the SDF deployments will strongly increase as well. The emotions and sensibilities, which all of our prefecture’s people will accept, are different from those of other prefectures!” The governor further stated that he thought that the Ministry should pay attention to Okinawa, with its background of protests,  Governor Tamaki also pointed out that the prefecture’s people continue to have a positive view of the SDF, but noted, “The forced advance of t...