Denny in the News

(Tokyo) The inauguration ceremony for Kosaburo Nishime, the Cabinet minister in charge of Okinawa, was held at the Reconstruction Agency on the afternoon of 4 September. For construction in the move of the US Military Futenma Airfield to Henoko in Nago, the Ministry of Defense plans to use soil from the south of Okinawa, the scene of bloody battles during WWII in Okinawa. To a question about it, Nishime responded, “As a matter of general logic and common sense, my thought is what can be said of it?”, avoiding a statement on the pros and cons of the plan.   Since the matter of the soil was revealed, it has been unusual for a Cabinet Minister for Okinawa to state a negative opinion on the subject. At the inauguration press conference, the press corps asked Nishime about the plan to use that soil for the new base construction at Henoko: “As a Cabinet Minister born in Okinawa, how will you deal with it?” After the preface, “It’s not in my portfolio,”  Nishime clearly acknowle...

Governor Denny Tamaki announced his comment on the inauguration of the new Kishida Cabinet, “Under the Prime Minister’s strong leadership, I expect to work together with him to solve various issues.”  Kosaburo Nishime, a Diet member from Okinawa, was selected as the new Cabinet Minister in Charge of Okinawa and the Northern Territories. The governor commented, “The selection of a Diet member from Okinawa as a cabinet minister gave me a feeling of great reassurance.” Moreover, he expects consideration of the development of a promotion strategy for Okinawa. He also made a request to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, who is currently the minister in charge of lessening the burden of bases on Okinawa, “Along with the promotion of Okinawa, I would like you to do your utmost to reduce the burden of the bases, but foremost to solve the problem of the new base construction at Henoko in Nago.”   Governor Tamaki stated, “I congratulate Fumio Kishida from my heart on his inaugura...

In the Kin District of Okinawa Prefecture, the organic fluorine compounds PFOS, PFAS, and PFOA in quantities exceeding national  provisional guidelines have been discovered in sewer water. On the morning of 4 September, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki addressed the problem in answer to a press corps question, “The source of the pollution must be investigated. We’ll politely examine whether or not the origin of the pollution lies with the US Military. It’s imperative that we pass on the result to the people of the prefecture.”  PFOS and PFOA showed up in the district’s examination. In the Kin District, which abuts the US Military Camp Hansen base, PFOS and PFOA exceeding national provisional guidelines showed up in both waterways and underground water sources. Governor Tamaki stressed, “The Okinawa Defense Bureau ought to work together with the American side, 3 or 4 on each side, to examine the water. I’ve called on the Prefectural Defense bureau and the American side ...

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki will welcome the completion of his third year in office on 4 October. With only one year left in his term, his campaign promise to halt the move of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago is still snagged on a reef. He is facing a critical juncture as he looks toward reelection in the gubernatorial election next fall, his remarkable power of attraction is on the wane,  with defectors one after another from his “All Okinawa” party, the base of his support where he had unified both the right and the left. ”I lament the inadequacy of my power.” Thus did Governor Tamaki candidly answer, when asked about the state of All Okinawa at a press conference on 1 October. Tamaki was first elected in the the gubernatorial election of 2018, as the chosen successor for former Governor Takeshi Onaga after his sudden death in 2018. In the background of such popular feelings as “Oppose  the move!” which yielded him over 70% of the popular vote,...

As part of the construction for the move of US Military Futenma Airfield from Okinawa Prefecture’s Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, on 1 October, the Defense Ministry announced the start of construction to change the course of rivers flowing into Oura Bay at the site.  The Prefecture asked for a halt to construction as measures for environmental protection were under discussion based on “points to be noted” in the former governor’s permission for the landfill. The Defense Ministry’s response for this Asahi Shimbun article was, “We determined that there were no further points  to be discussed.”   Among the rivers is the Mija River which flows through the US Military Camp Schwab Base in Henoko. Because its river mouth is in the way of landfill construction, the Okinawa Defense Bureau plans to change the river’s course. According to the Defense Bureau, the start of construction was agreed to at a combined US-Japan meeting on 30  September. At a press conference on 1 October, ...

During the final day of general questioning on 29 September at the September ordinary session of the Prefectural Assembly, Governor Denny Tamaki said of the joint guarantor system for prefectural housing, “Hereafter, we’ll be getting around to concrete consideration in the direction of its abolition.” Up until now, if someone who hoped to move into housing could not find a joint guarantor, they would end up hiring an identity underwriter. Governor Tamaki stressed emphatically, “That we create an environment where people in need of housing can move in without anxiety, meaning to be allowed to live securely, is especially important.” In response to Nobuko Tamaki of the Communist Party, the governor made clear that in regard to use of the site of Ryukyu University Medical School and its affiliated hospital (in Nishihara District) which are projected to relocate to vacant land where Ginowan’s Futenma housing estate used to be, Takeshu Ikeda, his general manager, is formulating a “Vision fo...

  At a press conference on 28 September at the Prefectural Office, offering criteria for lifting the prefecture’s own measures to combat the spread of Covid-19, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki said it would be when the total number of new positive cases of Covid-19 in 7 days hits 25 victims per 10 thousand people. (For Okinawa prefecture) that works out to 53 new positive cases per day. In addition, he explained that if the number of patients being hospitalized drops to 10 per 10 thousand, a quicker lifting of measures can be expected.  According to the Prefecture’s new strategy to prevent the spread. The request is that, for dining within 2 hours, the group be no more than 4, such as families living together. The Prefecture currently recognizes 5038 stores as of 27 September as certified in pursuing its strategy against the spread of the virus. As part of its own measures, shops are awarded 25 thousand yen for cooperating with shortened business hours. Establishments...