On the Socialist Party’s problem over whom to support for Okinawa District 2 in the House of Representatives Election, Governor Denny claims, “I’d like to keep an eye on this split.” (23ja26).

Splendor of Okinawa: Duranta, roadside Uruma, 14fe25


In the House of Representatives election for the seat in Okinawa District 2, part of the headquarters of the Okinawa Branch of the Socialist Party are considering backing former Nanjo Mayor Chobin Zukeran as their candidate. In on record answers to questions from the press squad on the morning of 19 January, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Tamaki claimed, “I’d like to keep an eye on this split.”


Kunio Arakaki, the current holder of the Okinawa District 2 seat, who bolted from the Socialist Party and is now unaligned, was expected to be the party’s candidate. However, a part of the Socialist Party may back Chobin Zukeran instead. If so, the forces of All Okinawa would be fractured.


In case of such a division, there would be a concern within All Okinawa that the split would benefit  the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) candidate.

　

On the possibility of such a split becoming an advantage for the LDP, Governor Tamaki opined, “Generally, that’s true. I think that I’d like to have us mutually confirm seriously how such a split will affect this situation.”


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Monday 19 January 2026 at 11:21.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/076b95607f603ce0fc67f7076935040ccc505c8b


Denny in the News: Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although 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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