Denny in the News

Splendor of Okinawa: Slender Dwarf Morning Glory, roadside Uruma, 25ap26 On 8 May, Governor Denny Tamaki spoke on the capsize of 2 boats in offing at Henoko in Nago in his prefecture.  The father of one of the victims, Doshisha International High School (Kyoto Prefecture) second year student Tomoka Takeishi (17), issued a post on the Internet platform Note, and Governor Tamaki confirmed that he had seen it. The governor noted, “It’s actually just as the bereaved family stated.” On 31 May, Tomoka’s father issued a post on Note to Governor Tamaki, asking, “If Okinawa Prefecture offers the theme of peace education aimed at high school students on the issue of the relocation of the base to Henoko, does the governor endorse the course content and how it’s presented?” However, on 2 June, Governor Tamaki stated, “Even though I have yet to see the post, there is such talk, and I’ve heard such questions.” After arriving for work at the Prefectural Office on the morning of 8 June, Governor T...

Splendor of Okinawa: Pink, roadside Uruma, 25ap26 A forum was held on 7 June in Fujisawa City in Kanazawa Prefecture from Kanazawa's perspective, considering its being second to Okinawa in carrying the burden of bases for US Forces stationed in Japan. Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki’s speech revealed the bizarre truth that, although Okinawa Prefecture contains only 0.6% of Japan’s total land mass, 70.3% of facilities dedicated to the use of US Forces in Japan are concentrated in his prefecture. Governor Tamaki stressed, “After World War II, US bases on mainland Japan were systematically reduced. However, even since Okinawa’s reversion to Japan in 1972, a large number of US Military bases have continued to be constructed on the basis of the US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Our prefecture’s people are still bearing on their backs this extraordinary burden of military bases!” As you in Kanazawa well know from your hosting Atsugi Base, I think we have a common feeli...

Splendor of Okinawa: Bougainvillea, roadside Uruma, 16my26 There was a boat capsize accident in the offing at Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture. Due to the accident, the Ministry of Education and Science ruled that the educational content of Kyoto Prefecture’s Doshisha International High School’s  peace studies visit to Henoko was in violation of basic educational law. In response to that ruling, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki criticized the Ministry.  At his 29 May regular press conference, the governor stated, “Is the Ministry issuing instructions on educational content? We ought not be investigating educational content as a primary cause of the Henoko accident!” On 22 May, the Ministry of Education and Science  spoke out on the studies carried out by Doshisha International High School on the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield to Henoko, making claims such as, “They were biased toward a particular viewpoint.” Thus, the Ministry ruled the studies a...

Splendor of Okinawa: Madagascar Periwinkle, roadside Uruma, 17my26 The executive committee of the 8th World Uchina-nchu (Ryukyuan: Okinawan People) Rally , chaired by Governor Denny Tamaki, held its first meeting on 29 May at the Okinawa Karate Sports Complex in Tomigusuku City.   The rally’s production opening dates were set for the 5 days between 27 and 31 October 2027, to coincide with “World Uchina-nchu Day” on 30 October. There will be a prior evening festival on Wednesday 27 October, with the main rally between Thursday 28 and Sunday 31 October. The event sites will include Naha City’s Okinawa Cellular Stadium, the Prefectural Budokan, and Onoyama Park. The world population of those related to Okinawa Prefecture has risen to about 420,000. So, this rally is a big event once every 5 years to bring home the world’s Uchina-nchu. Okinawa’s emigrants and their offspring, who have flown out like birds to every location, come home to gather and  share experiences. Original...

Splendor of Okinawa: Busy Lizzie, roadside Uruma, 25ap26 On his 3 June 2026 broadcast “Day Day”, on Japan Television, MC Ryota Yamasato of the comedy group Nanjai Candies called out to Governor Denny  Tamaki to respond to the questions asked by the bereaved parents of the Henoko capsized boats accident, piling on to its reverberations. He noted, “It’s important that, as governor, the questions posed by the parents” On 31 May, the father of the school girl who was a victim in the capsized boat accident in the offing at Henoko issued a post on the social media platform Note. In it, the father posed the following question, “If Okinawa Prefecture themes its peace education on the topic of the relocation of the base to Henoko and aims it at high school students, did Denny Tamaki, as governor, endorse the course design and how it was presented?” The Sankei Shimbun reported that on 2 June, Governor Tamaki had responded, “Although I haven’t yet read that post, opinions such as that have ar...

Splendor of Okinawa: Treasure Flower, roadside Uruma, 25my26 With the work of restoration still in progress, the opening to the public of the main hall of Okinawa Prefecture’s Shuri Castle has been set for 23 November this year. Greeting the press squad on record with the news on the morning of 4 June, Governor Denny Tamaki said with a smile, “The feeling has taken shape that ‘our Shuri Castle’ will be restored once again by our very own hands. I want to share  this joy with all of you!” Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Thursday 4 June at 10:40 https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/edc5b739c1cc6403ad362203326d0b977527935f 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 ne...

  Splendor of Okinawa: Hibiscus, roadside Uruma,16 my26 “Yutabon”, a former dropout now a YouTuber, updated his X account with a new post on 3 June 2026. In it he criticized Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki, regarding a post on Note from the bereaved parents of a victim in the Henoko offing boat accident, accusing the governor of making statements “Without even looking at their post”, adding, “Although the situation and their thoughts were written on Note for him!” Students from Doshisha International High School visiting Okinawa on a study tour became victims in a boating accident in the offing at Henoko. On 31 May, the father of a school girl killed in the accident posted comments on Note, such as, “If Okinawa Prefecture uses peace education materials about the relocation of a base to Henoko, that are aimed at high school students, does Governor Denny Tamaki endorse how they are dealt with and how the course is designed?” According to a report in Sankei Shimbun, Governor ...

Splendor of Okinawa: Madagascar Periwinkle, roadside Uruma,16my26 On the morning of 2 June, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki expressed his thinking on the way forward in peace education, considering the new base construction at Henoko.  The governor noted, “I am hopeful of considering  a program in which people themselves  can study the essential aspects of education, as children broaden their studies through thinking and discussion.” That response was prompted by a reporter’s query on an opinion posted on the site Note by the relatives of the high school girl who was killed in the capsized boats accident in the offing at Henoko.  The opinion posted on Note read, “If the Prefecture uses  peace education materials on the Henoko base relocation issue aimed at High school students,  we’d like to have even Governor Denny Tamaki himself  tell us for reference to what extent did he recommend the course and deal with its design?” 　 However, the govern...

Splendor of Okinawa: Pink Wood Sorrel, roadside Uruma, 17my26 Small boats capsized in the offing at Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, resulting in the deaths of two, one of them a school girl on a study excursion from Doshisha International High School in Kyoto Prefecture.  In response, the Ministry of Education and Science censured the high school’s study excursion as a violation of the basic education law. On that topic, on 25 May, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki expressed his feelings, noting, “That was sticking its nose in too far!” For their high school’s studies about the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield to Henoko, the students had been boarded on small boats. On 22 May, the Ministry of Education and Science ruled that such studies violated section 14 of the law prohibiting schools from engaging in political activity. The Ministry pointed out, “The treatment of the studies was biased toward a specific way of  thinking or viewing things.” It also ...