Archive for January, 2013

Recent News

Bucket falls from airborne MV 22 Osprey in San Diego

January 20, 2013 Hideki Matsudo of Ryukyu Shimpo reports from Washington D.C.

On January 17, a five-gallon bucket fell from an USMC MV-22 Osprey vertical take-off and landing transport aircraft and smashed through the roof of an auto repair shop near the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, damaging six vehicles. According to former chief analyst Arthur Rex Rivolo, the Osprey lacks a pressure adjustment function, so it flies with its rear hatch open to get a clear rear view. Rivolo...

 

Movie Karakara released

Movie <em>Karakara</em> released

January 13, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo 

On January 12, Karakara, a movie jointly produced by Japan and Canada and shot entirely on the islands of Okinawa by Claude Gagnon, was released at Cinema Q in Naha and Mihama 7 Plex in Chatan. Director Claude Gagnon, leading actress Yuki Kudo and...

Monument honoring Shinjo Miyagi – father of the cultured oyster – to be restored

Monument honoring Shinjo Miyagi - father of the cultured oyster - to be restored

January 10, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Ogimi Municipal Office has established a special committee to support the rebuilding of the monument honoring Miyagi Shinsho in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. The late Shinsho Miyagi (1884-1967), who was from the Arime district of Ogimi, was referred to in...

Karate master promotes the martial art in North America and Europe

Karate master promotes the martial art in North America and Europe

December 31, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

On December 28, Akihito Yagi, the chairman of the International Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu Karate-Do Association, visited the Ryukyu Shimpo Office in Ameku, Naha. Yagi reported that on his trip he taught and promoted Okinawan karate in about ten countries in North America...

Coming-of-Age day ceremonies held throughout Okinawa

Coming-of-Age day ceremonies held throughout Okinawa

January 14, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 13, the day before Coming-of-Age Day, a Japanese national holiday held annually on the second Monday of January, ceremonies were held in 20 cities and towns, including Naha, Okinawa, Uruma, Urasoe, Ginowan, and Nago. Young people dressed in suits and...

Sweet potato weevil eradicated on Kume-jima

January 12, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 11, at a press conference held at the Okinawa Prefectural Office, a senior staff member of the Naha Plant Protection Station announced that the serious plant pest known as the sweet potato weevil, or Cylas formicarius, has been eradicated on...

Survey indicates Okinawa’s popularity among tourists from Asia

January 19, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 18, the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) released an interim report from a survey of tourists from eight locations in Asia. In general, many of them would like to travel on what is often termed the “Golden Route,” the route between Tokyo and Osaka,...

Okinawan students to go to Asia on cultural trip

Okinawan students to go to Asia on cultural trip

January 16, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Okinawa Prefecture Board of Education has launched a project to send high school students engaged in arts and cultural activities to Singapore in February, and then to Shanghai in March, in order to deepen cultural exchanges with young people in those cities....

Schoolchild helps wash an elephant at Kinoshita Circus

Schoolchild helps wash an elephant at Kinoshita Circus

January 13, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 12, a special “Take Care of an Elephant” event was held at the Kinoshita Circus venue at Toyosaki in Tomigusuku. Nagi Oshiro, a third-grade pupil of Takara Elementary School, enjoyed the hands-on learning opportunity, washing down an elephant...

F-22 Raptors to Kadena Air Base

F-22 Raptors to Kadena Air Base

January 15, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 14, nine U.S. F-22 Raptor stealth fighters flew in to Kadena Air Base. The U.S. Air Force plans to deploy a total of twelve of these aircraft to Kadena within the next four months, with the remaining three aircraft coming on January 15.

Local...

OPG exchanges opinions with travel agents on the commercialization of Okinawan performing arts

OPG exchanges opinions with travel agents on the commercialization of Okinawan performing arts

January 6, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 5 and 6, an Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) sponsored tour for travel agents and media from outside Okinawa was held to look into the possibility of commercializing Okinawan performing arts. This is a part of the OPG’s cultural tourism promotion...