Comedian Ryota Yamasato calls out to Governor Denny Tamaki to “lend your ears” to the questions of the bereaved parents in the Henoko accident, adding that voices continually “calling for it are many!” (5june26).

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 arisen. So, I’ve heard that sort of question.”


On that day, the program also noted that  Prime Minister Takaishi and her Cabinet wore “Kariyushi (traditional Okinawa designed) shirts” presented by Governor Tamaki at a cabinet meeting on 2 June. Mr. Yamasato claimed, “I believe that it’s an important job for a governor of Okinawa Prefecture to promote Okinawan goods.” 


But then Mr. Yamasato  added to what he had said, “Sorry, but I’d like to change the topic a bit.” He then pointed out, “I think that whether the governor meets the bereaved parents of the Henoko parents, or even goes to respond to their questions is terribly important for him as a governor!” He added, “I would certainly like to have him lend his ear to their voices!”


Moreover, Mr. Yamasato referred to the question that the parents had posed on Note. He offered his opinion, noting, “I think that there are hard questions about his statement that it would be unsuitable to investigate the educational content which led to the accident. This is what the governor stated.” He further urged, “I would certainly like to have him lend an ear to our voices.”


Mr. Yamasato explained, “We broadcasters, content gatherers, and staff are working our hearts out on this. I’ve been listening to stories on the breeze from our staff, working so that this accident at Henoko will not be allowed to fade in the wind. He continued, “I feel that I should work hard on reporting this from now on!”


Mr. Yamasato claimed that, from the net, voices were amassing saying, “I think you’ve been covering various stuff” and “We’re the people of Okinawa Prefecture. Thanks, Yama-chan (trans.note: Yamasato’s stage name).”


Original Japanese article: Jcast News, published Thursday 4 June 2026 at 13:50.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e5891edb148ac97235d469ec9e79b418840449dd


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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