Denny in the News

Splendor of Okinawa: Rose, roadside Uruma, 9ap25 The departure ceremony for US-Japan joint patrols, with Prefectural Police, US Military, local community groups, and others in attendance, was held at Music Town Sound Plaza in Okinawa City at 10 p.m. on 18 April. The patrol was expected to make the rounds until about 2 a.m. on 19 April. MPs from the US Military participated, along with Prefectural Police, local residents, and others, about 110 in total, in the march along Gate Street and others near Kadena Air Base Gate 2. With the recurring sexual assault crimes by US troops last year in mind, the US Military decided to carry out joint patrols in Okinawa City and other communities. However, if a crime site should be encountered during the patrols, no system is in place between the US and Japan to detain or arrest suspects. So, some City Assembly Members have requested a halt to such patrols. Okinawa City Mayor Daisuke Hanashiro claimed that negotiation between the Prefectural Police an...

Splendor of Okinawa: Guava Tree, Uruma City Hall, 18ap25 Last year in Okinawa Prefecture, a series of sexual assault crimes by US troops occurred. In response, in the Prefecture’s Okinawa City on 18 April, US Military, Prefectural Police, and local citizen groups are conducting joint patrols. This was the first US Military and Prefectural Police joint patrol since 1974. Its aim was to raise awareness of local crime prevention. In order to call attention to the observance of the Liberty System, which governs US troops exiting bases and off-base eating and liquor consumption, the patrols were carried out in the downtown areas of Okinawa City and other such areas adjacent to the US Military Kadena Air Base. In addition to the US Military and Prefectural Police, personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Okinawa Defense Bureau, local municipal groups, and others also joined the patrols.  At the starting ceremony, Governor Denny Tamaki gave the introductory address, noting, “We...

Splendor of Okinawa: Fountainbush, roadside Futenma, 24mr25 Within Okinawa Prefecture last year a continuing series of sexual assault crimes occurred. In response, from 18 April, troops of the US Military are joining the Prefectural Police in carrying out patrols of Okinawa City’s downtown bar district.  This is the first such joint action since 1974, 2 years after Okinawa’s reversion to Japanese control in 1972. According to related government sources, under the US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), the US side has arrest power over US troops and military dependents, while exhibiting disdain for Prefectural Police involvement.  However, this time, residents paraded along with the patrol with no expectation of detentions or such. Governor Denny Tamaki, Okinawa City’s mayor, and others participated with about 120 others.  At Okinawa City’s downtown Koza Plaza, the group held a departure meeting at about 10 p.m. Okinawa City Mayor Daisuke Hanashiro addressed the group...

Splendor of Okinawa: Egyptian Starcluster, Gushikawa RC Church, 23mr25. On 14 April, President Ken Theriault of Costco Holdings Japan, which has recently opened the US membership style supermarket Costco in Okinawa, paid a visit to Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki. His requests included the rapid opening of the Southern East Highway route to ease traffic congestion  In August of 2024, the Costco Nanjo outlet opened and now serves an average of over 70 thousand customers per week from within and outside the prefecture, So, recently traffic jams seem to have occurred. According to the Prefecture, due to difficulties in negotiations with landowners, the highway’s opening date is uncertain. However, the governor explained, “Based on legal ordinances, the land acquisition is ongoing.” President Theriault also noted that, since the gasoline stand, annexed to his store under his management, is being provided with fuel from outside the prefecture and even overseas, he requested sup...

Splendor of Okinawa: Great Bougainvillea, roadside Futenma. 7ap25   (OPINION) The US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan is to be relocated  to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture. A security guard (47 at the time), while controlling a woman protesting the move, accidentally was hit by a dump truck and died. On 16 April, through our reporting, we discovered from a related source that recently in March, near the same accident site, a 70 year old male, active protester, while trying to climb over a safety net, toppled and a male security guard in his fifties was injured. The Prefectural Police, aware of the incident, are in the process of determining the facts. The police claim, “A pedestrian crossing was being obstructed.” But voices are being raised questioning the Prefecture’s management responsibility in continuously refusing to set up a guard rail at the site.  According to related sources, on the morning of 17 March at about 11:35, at the entrance to Nago Cit...

Splendor of Okinawa: Lantana, roadside Futenma, 7 April 2025 On 18 and 19 April, the Hawaii-Okinawa Goodwill Baseball Tournament will be held at the new Kadena Baseball Stadium. On 14 April, 14 participating members of the Hawaii-Okinawa Association’s (HUOA) softball team paid a courtesy visit to Governor Denny Tamaki at the Prefectural Office. This year marks the 125th anniversary of the emigration of Okinawans to Hawaii. As an element of the memorial events, the representative team from Hawaii will take the field for the tournament. HUOA Executive Director John Ito (62), a third generation Hawaiian with Okinawan roots, noted with a chuckle in his introduction, “We’re all a young team, and that at an average age of 72!”. Then he added enthusiastically, “ Ichrariba cho-di- ! ( Ryukyuan: On meeting, we’re brothers!) is our feeling, as we create relationships of friendship between Hawaii and Okinawa.” On receiving a uniform and lei from Director Ito, Governor Tamaki welcomed the members,...

Splendor of Okinawa: Treasure Flower, roadside Futenma, 7ap25. On 14 April Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki received a visit at the Prefectural Office from Japan Branch President Ken Theriault of Costco Wholesale Japan, the company that runs the US  membership supermarket Costco. President Theriault came to hopefully ask the prefecture for assistance, since the company cannot procure gasoline within the prefecture for  the gas station annexed to its Costco Okinawa Nanjo Warehouse Outlet in Nanjo City.  According to President Theriault, his company cannot obtain the cooperation of oil-related companies to procure gas within the prefecture. So currently  special tanks are used to transport gasoline from South Korea and Aichi Prefecture to Okinawa. President Theriault alluded to his consideration of appealing to the Japan Fair Trade Commission, noting, “In the near future, given that we’d like to increase our warehouse outlets, we certainly will want to have permission to ...

Splendor of Okinawa: Jersey Lily, Gushikawa RC Church, 13ap25. On 12 April 29 years ago, both the US and Japanese Governments agreed on the reversion to Japanese control of the US Futenma Airfield in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. On 11 April, the day before that anniversary, Governor Denny Tamaki held his regular press conference. There, he expressed, once again, his stance in opposition to relocating that base to Henoko in Nago, emphasizing, “Firming up the weak seabed at the construction site will require several years. So, the relocation has nothing to do with the speedy closing of the base and reversion of the land to Japan.”  On 12 April 1996, both the US and Japanese Governments announced that the total reversion of the base land would be realized in 5 to 7 years. Questioned on why the reversion had still not been realized even now, Governor Tamaki stated emphatically, “It’s all due to the Government’s obsession with its one solution only policy on Henoko!” However, at a press...

Splendor of Okinawa: Garden Cosmos, roadside Uruma, 12ap25 The Government’s plan is to relocate the US Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago. At 10 April’s House of Councilors Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani declared, “If only Okinawa Prefecture would cooperate more with us, the more quickly we could make progress in the relocation of Futenma!” In response to his declaration, at an 11 April  press conference, Governor Denny Tamaki retorted, “The difference in our perspectives is beyond measure!” On 12 April, 29 years will have passed since the agreement between the US and Japanese Governments on the reversion to Japanese control of the base at Futenma. However, the reversion simply has not progressed.  Minister Nakatani alluded to the second runway at Naha Airport to prove his point, “The construction progressed smoothly, in fact, quickly. The construction included the same kind of landfill, so where’s the difference? If only we cou...

Splendor of Okinawa: Slender Dwarf Morning Glory, roadside Futenma, 7ap25. Both the US and Japanese Governments agreed on the total reversion of the US Futenma Airfield in Ginowan, Okinawa, to Japanese control 29 years ago. Facing the anniversary of that agreement on 12 April, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki, at his scheduled press conference on 11 April, was queried why that reversion was yet to be realized even now.  The governor expressed his opinion that it was because the National Administration was obsessed with the notion of its policy of “prioritizing  its relocation of the base to Henoko in Nago. In 1996, both the US and Japanese Governments agreed on the reversion of 11 US Base facilities in Okinawa, with a total land area of 5,000 hectares. In 1999, Henoko was decided on as the relocation site for Futenma Airfield. In 2013, the governor at the time, Hirokazu Nakaima, gave permission for landfill operations along the coast at Henoko. However, his successor, ...

Splendor of Okinawa: Pink Wood Sorrel, roadside Futenma, 7ap25 On 15 March, the 100th All Japan National Basketball Emperor’s Cup Championship Series began. On 10 April, Ryukyu Golden Kings Director Susumu Shiraki visited the Prefectural Office on behalf of the Okinawa Basketball Corporation to announce to Governor Denny Tamaki this first victory achieved in the series by the prefectural powerhouse, the Ryukyu Golden Kings. Director Shiraki joyously stated, “We’re delighted that our team could take home to Okinawa its first Emperor‘s Cup. Hereafter as well, we’d especially like to continue our ideal:  ‘Okinawa reinvigorated’.” The Kings had contested in the B League of the Emperor’s Cup twice since 2017. Unfortunately, in the previous 2 tournaments, the team had lost in the finals.  So this was their eighth attempt at a win. But at this critical point of the tournament’s 100th anniversary, the team achieved its first cherished championship in the series. Player Shogo Taira , w...