On whether the US base problem will be a point of contention in next year’s gubernatorial election, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki retorts, “The will of our people is unwavering!” (30se25)

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 followed by a series of mayoral election losses. Currently, of the 11 mayoral seats in the prefecture,  zero are occupied by mayors tied to All Okinawa. 


However, Governor Tamaki pointed out, “Elections for municipal leaders are coupled with various local situations. Isn’t it quite weak to attribute that necessarily to All Okinawa?”


The July House of Councilors election in the Okinawa Election District has been seen as a precursor to the gubernatorial election. In it.  Sachika Takara, who was backed by the forces of All Okinawa with Governor Tamaki serving as her campaign manager, was victorious.


On that topic, the governor stated, “Such issues as the construction for the new Henoko base were themes of her campaign. I didn’t feel that the will of our people wavered at all”


The governor stressed, “From now on as well, I intend to go on doing my best to make our situation known across the Nation through my Talk Caravan”


The governor also claimed he will seek out, one after another,   real instances of administrative sloppiness. Also, on the Prefecture’s Washington DC Office, which was shut down last June, the governor promised, “We’re considering a new structure . We’re proceeding to work together on a deal to launch it again.”


Original Japanese article: Sankei Shimbun, published Monday 29 September 2025 at 18:21.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/87788b3f76a62c68c42022ebab4ef2cc1efdcb0f


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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