At the end of next month, Governor Tamaki will formally declare his run in the Okinawa Prefecture Gubernatorial Election. (31 March 2026)

Splendor of Okinawa: Tropical Milkweed, roadside Uruma, 26mr26

Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki (66) will end his term with the gubernatorial election. Ballots will be opened on 13 September. On 30 March, he confirmed that he is arranging to formally declare his entry into the race at the end of April.


The governor answered press corps queries on record about his decision at the Prefectural Office. He noted that he had intended to make the formal declaration of his candidacy on 28 March. However, he delayed it due to the loss of 2 lives in the accident involving the capsize of 2 boats in the offing of Henoko in Nago, where construction is proceeding for the relocation there of the US Futenma Airfield from Ginowan, both within Okinawa Prefecture.


Former Naha Deputy Mayor Genta Koja has already formally declared his candidacy. He expects the assistance of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) due to his acquiescence in the Henoko relocation.


With Governor Tamaki raising his banner in opposition to the relocation, it looks to be a real one-on-one battle.


Original Japanese article: JIJI.COM, published Monday 30 March 2026 at 11:53.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/f57dfcb9d430d175a1c0b497e95da60fb0bb1b63


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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