Denny in the News

Splendor of Okinawa: Great Bougainvillea, beachside Mihama, 23au24 The US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan is planned for relocation to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture. The Defense ministry had requested design changes, but the Prefecture refused permission. The National Land, Infrastructure, and Transportation Ministry voided the lack of permission in its ruling. Considering that illegal, the Prefecture, in a protest suit appeal trial, requested the nullification of the ministry’s ruling. On 2 September, the Naha Branch of the Fukuoka High Court (presiding judge Takashi Miura) passed down its ruling rejecting the appeal and supporting the ruling of the Naha First District Court.   As for the relocation plan, after 14 suits fought between the Government and the Prefecture, this will be the last. Still, the Prefecture is considering another appeal up to the Supreme Court. In 2020, the Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau asked the Prefecture for changes in the de...

Splendor of Okinawa: Ramgoat Dashalong, beachside Mihama, 23au24 Following the demise of the current mayor, Ginowan City in Okinawa declared the opening of its mayoral election on 1 August. Three candidates have registered to run, all as independents: Former City Assembly Member Isao Tobaru (65), endorsed by the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Social Democratic Masses Party.  Takashi Higa (47), a company president, Former Ginowan Mayor Atsushi Sakima (60), endorsed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito. The counting of ballots will be on 8 August. The relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield to Henoko in Nago will certainly be among the top issues of the campaign, making it really a one to one battle between Tobaru and Sakima. 　 Tobaru is against the relocation in line with his support from the power of All Okinawa which backs Governor Denny Tamaki. Tobaru touts enhanced public administrative services as h...

Splendor of Okinawa: Treasure Flower, beachside Mihama, 16au24 Ginowan, which encompasses the US Military Futenma Airfield, has set 1 August for its mayoral election to replace its deceased former mayor. 2 rookies have entered the race, former City Assembly Member Isao Tobaru (65), endorsed by the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Social Democratic Masses Party, and Takashi Higa (47), a company president, as well as Former Ginowan Mayor Atsushi Sakima (60), endorsed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito. All three claim to be independents The most serious points of contention are expected to revolve around issues, such as measures to remove the dangers of the Futenma base and the necessity of its relocation to Henoko in Nago.  The election ballots will be counted on 8 September. Both Tobaru and Sakima share the same view on requesting the speedy cessation of activities and the return of the base land. However, on ...

Splendor of Okinawa: Field Marigold, Uruma RC Church, 23au24 The mayoral election for Ginowan City, which encompasses the US Military Futenma Airfield, will be declared on 1 August. The race looks to be effectively a one on one battle between a former mayor, who stands for pushing cooperation with the National Government in its plan for the use of the vacant space left after the repatriation of Kadena Airfield and a newcomer, supported by the power of Governor Denny Tamaki’s group All Okinawa, which opposes the airfield’s relocation to Henoko in Nago. The election ballots will be opened on 8 September. The 3 formal candidates, all listed as unaffiliated, scheduled to run in the mayoral election are: Former Ginowan Mayor Atsushi Sakima (60), endorsed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito. Ginowan City Assemblyman Isao Tobaru (65), a newcomer endorsed by the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Communist Party, and the Social Democratic Party. Takashi Higa (47), a survey comp...

Splendor of Okinawa: Basil, beachside Mihama, 23au24. 80 years have passed since the Tsushima Maru, a ship used for the evacuation of a large number of Okinawan children, was attacked with torpedoes and sunk by a US submarine. On 24 August, a memorial ceremony was held for the victims who washed ashore along the Uken Funoshi Coast at Uken Village in Kagoshima. In addition to local residents, participants included Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki and school children from Okinawa and Amami, who are studying about the Tsushima Maru incident in a peace studies exchange program. About 100 people, their hands clasped in prayer before the memorial monument, to pray for the eternal happiness of the victims and lasting peace in the world. 　 The Tsushima Maru set off from Naha Port on 21 August 1944 with about 1800 passengers, including 1661 children from Okinawa national schools. On the following day, 22 August, off the coast of Akuseki Island, it was hit by torpedoes from a US submarin...

Splendor of Okinawa: Carruthers’ Falseface, beachside Mihama, 23au24 The US Marine Corps is soon to deploy MQ9 surveillance drones to Kadena Air base. In response to queries for press corps coverage on 26 August, Governor Denny Tamaki criticized the plan, while the burden of the Kadena base is continually increasing, lamenting, “This situation is becoming the exact opposite of the reduction of the burden of bases that our Prefecture has been requesting.” The governor further expressed his intention of requesting the Government to reconsider the planned deployment. Governor Tamaki has been keeping watch over the piece by piece increase in the prefecture’s burden, such as the repeated parachute drop exercises at Kadena Airbase, the use of its former Papa Loop aircraft parking tarmac, the increase of outside flights taking off and landing, and now the addition of surveillance drones. Governor Tamaki traveled to Tokyo in March over the increased burden at Kadena Airbase and directly compla...

Splendor of Okinawa: Hibiscus, beachside Mihama, 23au24 In its budget proposal for 2025, the Cabinet Office settled on its plan for a budgetary request of 282 billion yen for Okinawa Promotion, as explained on 27 August by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Okinawa Promotion Research Committee. This budgetary request was 10 billion less than the 2024 budget request. Thus, the Prefecture's budget request in the range of 300 billion yen was turned down for the 4th consecutive year. In order to get the Prefecture’s understanding on the relocation of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture, during the nine years since 2013, the Cabinet Office has calculated the cost of the Okinawa Promotion to be in the range of 300 billion yen. However, the Cabinet Office has cut back its budget proposal drastically since 2022, in the midst of Governor Denny Tamaki’s opposition to the Henoko relocation. Original Japanese article: JIJI. Com, published T...

Splendor of Okinawa: Angelwing Jasmine, roadside Futenma, 8mr24 During the Pacific Campaign of WW2, a great many people became victims in the sinking of an evacuation ship by the US Military. Even as people with firsthand knowledge of the tragedy become fewer and fewer, the  memorial ceremony for those victims is still being carried out at Uken Village. 80 years ago, the Pacific War was right at its crux. About 1500 civilians were boarded on the Tsushima Maru for evacuation from Okinawa. However, the ship was torpedoed and sunk by the US Military. A large group of student evacuees was among those aboard the ship. About 800 of those children lost their lives as victims of the sinking. This year is the 80th since the Tsushima Maru was sunk. About 100 interested villagers, plus, for the first time, Governor Denny Tamaki and others from Okinawa Prefecture, from where the Tsushima Maru had set out,  participated in the offering of flowers. Governor Denny Tamaki conveyed his thought...

Splendor of Okinawa: Templetree, beachside Mihama, 9au24  Sea-bed boring for the Naha Port relocation has begun. In response, Governor Denny Tamaki noted, “I realize there are various opinions on this research”, while  expressing his intention to approve it, nonetheless.   Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki explained, “The Prefecture is quite aware of the various  opinions on the relocation. Among them especially is whether if some aspects are unclear, or others are  doubtful, should I approve the boring investigation?” In his 23 August scheduled press conference, the governor showed his thinking, noting, “I would still like to keep gathering arguments henceforth on whether or not there are any obstacles in the relocation plan to the overall design for the use of the port and bay at Naha Port.” Moreover, the US Military gave notice that it would carry out parachute jump exercises at Kadena Airbase on the afternoon of 23 August. In response, Governor Tamaki criti...

Splendor of Okinawa: Raintree, beachside Mihama, 19au24 In August of 1944 during Word War 2, the Tsushima Maru, an evacuation ship for school children, set out from Okinawa, but was attacked and sunk by a US submarine. It has been 80 years since more than 1,400, including children, perished on 22 August 1944. At the Little Cherry Blossom Memorial Monument in Naha, a memorial ceremony was held. About 410 relatives and others participated to offer prayers of mourning. Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki and Cabinet Minister for Okinawa and the Northern Territories Hanako Jimi participated, as the whistle sounded for all to offer a moment of silence. Chairman of the Tsushima Maru Memorial Association Public Interest Corporation Masakatsu Takara (84), who survived, but lost a total 9 family members, including parents and siblings in the sinking, pleaded in his address of mourning, “It is unpardonable for such a tragic event to occur again. I beg that the chain of retribution be expung...

Splendor of Okinawa: Crown Daisy, beachside Miyama, 19au24 A dump truck traffic accident resulting in death occurred at Awa Jetty in Nago City in Okinawa Prefecture, where a new base is under construction. The Okinawa Defense Bureau had temporarily halted the  work of loading soil onto the trucks from the jetty, but will resume the task on 22 August.  In response to Prefectural Office press squad questions on the resumption, on the evening of 21 August, Governor Denny Tamaki lamented, “No consultation at all has taken place on an investigation into the cause of the accident or measures to prevent a recurrence. It’s absolutely deplorable to restart work anyway.” The accident occurred at the exit of the jetty workyard on 28 June. During a protest activity, a woman got into an altercation with a security guard and a dump truck hit them both, killing the guard and badly injuring the woman, leaving her with a broken leg.  On 15 August the Defense Bureau asked the Prefecture to...