On the sexual assault by a US Army serviceman stationed in Okinawa, the Prefecture requests the Defense Ministry that there be no recurrence, as Governor Denny Tamaki criticizes, “This is something that absolutely ought never happen!” (29my26)


Splendor of Okinawa: Shell Ginger, roadside Uruma, 17my26


Okinawa Prefectural Police sent documents to the Naha District Court charging a US Army serviceman in his 20s, attached to the US Military in Okinawa Prefecture,  on suspicion of non-consensual sex and injuries, in the case of an adult woman who was sexually assaulted and injured.


On 25 May, the Prefecture requested the Defense Ministry to prevent any such recurrence. It further plans to forthwith request the same from the Foreign Ministry and the US Army. 


According to the Prefectural Police, in April, the man was accused of sexually assaulting a female acquaintance, with violence ensuing, which resulted in her receiving injuries that will require several weeks of treatment. On 22 May, the Prefectural Police sent the man’s charging documents to the prosecutor.


In view of continuing cases of sexual assault, since last year, the US Military has been conducting joint patrols of entertainment districts with Prefectural Police within the prefecture. 


According to US-Japan relations organizations, venues for opinion exchanges and such have been set up. Nonetheless, incidents continue unabated.


On 25 May, Governor Denny Tamaki offered his views on the issue to the press corps at the Prefectural Office, stating, “This is something that absolutely ought not happen! How come this kind of stuff just keeps on occurring? The governor added,  “We keep piling on requests to the US side asking if they can take more effective action against recurrence. We’d also like more detailed reports.”


Original Japanese article: Yomiuri Shimbun, published Tuesday 26 May 2026 at 10:05.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/713acf2fdf9d8d820738d397387a7c83e9a86337


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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In the suit over exercise of proxy in the case of the weak seabed at the new Henoko base, judgment to be handed down on 20 December. (4de23)

Image
Splendor of Okinawa: Shrubby Bush Clover, roadside Uruma, 30no23 The seabed at the new base construction site at Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, is weak and needs reinforcement. So, the Okinawa Defense Bureau requested permission for the necessary design changes, but Governor Denny Tamaki refused. In response, the Government intends to exercise proxy to give itself permission in place of the governor. The Naha Branch of the Fukuoka High Court announced on 29 November that it will hand down its judgment in the lawsuit filed over the case at 2 pm on 20 December. At the trial on 30 October, Governor Denny Tamaki emphasized in the first oral arguments, “We can in no way accept this exercise of proxy, which violates the autonomy and independence of Okinawa.”  He further stressed the will of the prefecture’s people in opposition to the new base construction as the ‘Public will’. In addition, he requested to show that the  path to resolution lay in dialogue. The trial was conclud...
Read more

Governor Denny receives the report on JUNGLIA at the 4 month mark after its opening. (7de25)

Image
Splendor of Okinawa: Temple Tree, Mihama Beach, 1de25 CEO Takeshi Kato of Japan Entertainment (JE), which manages JUNGLIA Okinawa, visited Governor Denny Tamaki at the Prefectural Office on 28 November.  　 The CEO reported on the 4 months since the attraction’s opening. He repeatedly brought up dealing with operational improvements and such based on the voices of visitors to the park.  　 The CEO specifically mentioned the evening concerts in the park’s garden and, starting from December, the free entry of one child with each adult, targeting the prefecture’s people. CEO Kato stated, “We’d like to be contributing to Okinawa’s tourism as well.” Governor Tamaki, alluding to his speech the same day, entitled “Declaration on Sustainable Tourism”, stated, “For the people, employees, and tourists of our prefecture, this is an important win-win format. We’d like to have JE’s cooperation in many, many more initiatives.” Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Sunday 30 Nov...
Read more

In Okinawa, Candidate Takara takes hold of the Henoko opposition parties as their new face, urging,”Let’s earnestly come to grips with these issues together.” (21jy25).

Image
Splendor of Okinawa: Mexican Petunia, Gushikawa RC Church, 13jy25. In the House of Councilors Election for the Okinawa Election District, independent candidate Sachika Takara (46), endorsed by All Okinawa, which opposes the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture, scored a victory. She defeated the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Party’s new candidate Ryo Okuma (38) in the election campaign.  Candidate Takara pledged before her supporters, “The Henoko problem is something our prefecture’s people have taken into our hearts. We’re going to earnestly come to grips with it together.”  With their eyes on a victory in next year’s gubernatorial election, her victory was a bitter blow to the LDP. Governor Denny Tamaki, who held the job of Candidate Takara’s campaign headquarters chief, stressed, “The will of the people in opposition to the relocation remains unshaken.” In recent mayoral elections, All Okinawa’s fortunes ha...
Read more