Archive for February, 2014
Recent News
February 21, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 20, the Okinawa Prefectural Government announced the number of tourists who came to Okinawa in January 2014. The number was 495,100, a new monthly record. This represents a 15.2 percent increase over the same period the previous year. The number of tourists who came to Okinawa has exceeded the previous year’s records for 16 consecutive months since October 2012. In addition to New Year’s holidays which were longer than usual, the travel...
February 23, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 14, Vibe Inc., an affiliate company of Bandai Namco Holdings, announced that it will co-develop an electric-propulsion ship with Kuniken Ltd., and the Shin-Itoman Ship Yard Co. The companies plan to complete building the ship this October. They aim...
February 22, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
The “lunch break peace march” commemorated 30 years on February 21. This has been held by a citizen group every Friday to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the promotion of peace. On this day, they marched around the Okinawa Prefectural Office...
February 22, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 21, Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine sent a letter to 29 international intellectuals who released a statement that opposes moving U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Henoko district in Nago. These intellectuals include filmmaker Oliver Stone.
Inamine...
February 19, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
Naha Mayor Takeshi Onaga announced his administrative policy for the new fiscal year at a regular meeting of the City Council held on February 18.
Onaga talked about promoting the use of the land returned by the U.S. military. He said, “The Japanese...
February 9, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
Before February 8, the Okinawa Defense Bureau provided the U.S. Marine Corps with the application documents for the Henoko landfill to prepare for moving Futenma Air Station and the environmental impact assessment report. The bureau gave the Marine Corps the full...
February 12, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 11, a gathering, “Listen and tell Okinawa’s voices and thoughts, Ambassador Kennedy” was held in the public square in front of the Okinawa Prefectural Government Office. About 60 young people performed a flash mob with up-tempo music to send...
February 19, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 18, the U.S. military announced the result of testing of soil at the site where an HH-60 rescue helicopter belonging to U.S. Air Force Kadena Air Base crashed in Camp Hansen in Ginoza last August. The lead level in one sample was 0.744 milligrams...
February 13, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
To accept foreign on-the-job trainees, the fisheries industry and farmers set up the Churashima Cooperative Union. The union accepted 13 trainees from Indonesia this month and began training programs such as Japanese language classes. It is the first time for...
February 16, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
The name of the Okinawa rail that the learning center in the Ada district of Kunigami Village has been raising is Kyonkyon. Six-year-old Riria Kinjo of Hentona Kindergarten came up with the name. The center invited children, including Kinjo to hold a ceremony...
February 16, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo
Okinawan people hold the Jurukunichi Festival or the New Year’s Day of the Dead on February 15 when is January 16 according to the Chinese calendar. In fine weather, more than ten families gathered to set tables on carpets in the Miegusuku district of Naha....