Archive for May, 2013

Recent News

U.S. military to deploy more Osprey to Okinawa

April 30, 2013 Ryota Shimabukuro of Ryukyu Shimpo reports from Washington D.C.

In a meeting held at the Department of Defense in the afternoon of April 29, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and the U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced that 12 more MV-22 Osprey aircraft will be deployed to the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma this summer. The U.S. military deployed the first squadron of Osprey to the base last October. They also announced that they will carry out the relocation...

 

U.S. soldier lands on private property during Osprey training

U.S. soldier lands on private property during Osprey training

May 5, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

After 10:00a.m. on May 1, at Ie Jima Auxiliary Airfield, the U.S. military conducted parachute training for soldiers jumping from MV-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing transport aircraft. One of the soldiers involved landed on private property outside that controlled...

Villagers seek to use Okinawa rails to revitalize community

April 25, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On April 19, the Ada district of Kunigami in northern Okinawa and the NPO Yambaru Regional Revitalization Support Center reported to Kunigami Mayor Hisakazu Miyagi on their plan to link their community with the presence of the Yambaru kuina. In October 2012 Ada...

Dragon boat models made using 45,000 toothpicks

Dragon boat models made using 45,000 toothpicks

April 23, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

With the Naha Harii or dragon boat races being held from May 3 to 5, Genei Agena, a 75-year-old resident of Itoman made three models of dragon boats. The models, which took two years to complete, were presented to the Naha Municipal Office, where they were...

People enjoy digging clams at Henoko

People enjoy digging clams at Henoko

April 28, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On April 27, many people enjoyed digging clams at Henoko beach in Nago, near where the U.S. military plans to construct an alternative facility for Futenma Air Station. With an area of sea full of colorful coral in front of them, people questioned why part of these...

Habu caught in the act of swallowing a mongoose

Habu caught in the act of swallowing a mongoose

April 25, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

In the night of April 22, Shincho Tawada, a 73-year-old resident of Shimashi, Ginowan, captured a venomous pit viper, which is also known in Okinawa as a habu. Tawada discovered the snake when it was in the act of swallowing a mongoose that he kept in a birdcage...

Habu snake caught on Miyako Island for the first time

Habu snake caught on Miyako Island for the first time

April 24, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On April 23, the Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) announced that a venomous snake of the Sakishima-habu variety was caught on Miyako-jima. According to the OPG, this is the first time that such a snake has been caught in Miyako, which is known as an island that...

Protest rally organizers to submit resolution to Prime Minister Abe

April 30, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

With such a large turnout at the rally protesting against the central government’s celebration of the date of restoration of Japan’s sovereignty on April 28, the rally’s executive committee have decided to send a written resolution to Prime Minister Shinzo...

Government’s TPP task force promises to protect sugarcane on Minami Daito

Government’s TPP task force promises to protect sugarcane on Minami Daito

April 23, 2013 Yoko Ikeda, correspondent of Ryukyu Shimpo

On April 22, ten people including staff of the headquarters of the government’s Trans-Pacific Partnership Free-Trade Agreement (TPP) Task Force and Diet members of the Liberal-Democratic Party visited the Minami Daito Municipal Office...

Panelists discuss celebration of restoration of Japan’s sovereignty

Panelists discuss celebration of restoration of Japan’s sovereignty

April 26 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

In the evening on April 25, a panel discussion was held on the topic of the Japanese government planning to hold a ceremony on April 28 to commemorate the anniversary of the restoration of Japanese sovereignty after the San Francisco Peace Treaty took effect in 1952....

10,000 residents gather in protest rally against the anniversary of the restoration of Japanese sovereignty

10,000 residents gather in protest rally against the anniversary of the restoration of Japanese sovereignty

April 29 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

April 28 marked the 61st anniversary of the restoration of Japanese sovereignty after the San Francisco Peace Treaty took effect in 1952 and when Okinawa was separated from Japan and placed under U.S. occupation. On this day, from 11:00am at the open-air amphitheater...