In the 54th year since Okinawa’s reversion to Japan and the return of Futenma Base still on hold, the prefecture faces its September gubernatorial election. (16my26)

Splendor of Okinawa: Chinese Violet, roadside Uruma, 3my26.

On 15 May, Okinawa welcomes the 54th year since its reversion to Japan.

On the economic front, promising improvements and innovations have been made surpassing the highest in the past in tourist numbers and income from tourism.


However, there has been no change in the situation in which 70% of US Military facilities in all of Japan are centered in Okinawa Prefecture.


Even the return of the U.S. Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan, agreed upon bilaterally 30 years ago, has still yet to be realized.


Original Japanese article: Asahi Shimbun, published Friday 15 May 2026 at 05:01. Byline Kazushi Kaneko.

https://www.asahi.com/sp/articles/ASV5G0FFMV5GUTIL017M.html


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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