Archive for May, 2017

Recent News

Constitution Rally speaker Hiroji Yamashiro says do not lose heart over Henoko embankment work

Constitution Rally speaker Hiroji Yamashiro says do not lose heart over Henoko embankment work

May 3, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo online edition

To mark 70 years since the constitution came into effect, the May 3 Constitution Rally met in Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park in Koto Ward, Tokyo. According to the organizers 55,000 people attended, pledging to protect the constitution, to support cancellation of new base construction, and to oppose “conspiracy crimes” being incorporated in the Act on Punishment of Organized Crimes. Chairman of the Okinawa Peace Movement Center Hiroji Yamashiro,...

 

American high school students visit Ie-jima for cultural exchange with local pupils

American high school students visit Ie-jima for cultural exchange with local pupils

April 30, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

By Hiroe Nakagawa

High school students from Forest Lake Christian School in California and program leaders, 12 people altogether, stayed on Ie-jima the week of April 11 through April 17. These students volunteered in providing English lessons for elementary...

Okinawa Prefecture Issues Habu Alert, Cautioning Vacationers

Okinawa Prefecture Issues Habu Alert, Cautioning Vacationers

May1, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

Okinawa Prefecture issued a habu-bite warning on May 1, as it anticipates increased habu activity as summer kicks off. In recent years, while there has been almost no cases of people dying from a habu bite, each year tens of people are bitten by the viper. There are...

JASDF helicopter misunderstood instructions from air traffic controller at Naha Airport in June 2015

April 28, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

On April 27, the National Transportation Safety Board released a survey report about a case in June 2015 where a helicopter of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) crossed over the sky ahead of an All Nippon Airways (ANA) aircraft that was taking off, leading...

Okinawa mozuku seaweed featured by US CNN online webcast

Okinawa mozuku seaweed featured by US CNN online webcast

April 26, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

A group of reporters from an online webcast from US CNN television, Great Big Story, visited a seafood processing company called Itosan in Itoman City on April 24 and 25 to hear from CEO Tadashi Oshiro about mozuku harvesting and his passion for the product. This...

3,000 take part in protest rally in Henoko for first time since start of sea wall construction, refusing to bow to government pressure

3,000 take part in protest rally in Henoko for first time since start of sea wall construction, refusing to bow to government pressure

April 30, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

On the morning of April 29, in front of the gate of Camp Schwab in Henoko, Nago City, a mass rally was held to block construction of new U.S. base. At the rally, participants called for the repeal of the so-called “anti-conspiracy bill” and urged people...

One year after the rape and murder of a woman by a U.S. military contractor, wounds of the victim’s family have yet to heal

One year after the rape and murder of a woman by a U.S. military contractor, wounds of the victim’s family have yet to heal

April 28, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

We interviewed attorney Naoko Murakami, who represents the family of the deceased in the case of rape and murder of a woman by a U.S. military contractor, which occurred one year ago.

  ◇   ◇

 ― How are the family doing now?

“From...

Okinawans call for Kadena Air Base removal on anniversary of murder victim’s disappearance

Okinawans call for Kadena Air Base removal on anniversary of murder victim’s disappearance

April 28, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo online edition

On the morning of April 28, the Kadena Peace Action group, which is demanding the closure and removal of Kadena Air Base, held a protest gathering in front of the base’s gates 1 through 5. Participants dedicated a minute a silence to the woman who...

Editorial: We’ll exercise our right to self-determination

April 28, 2017 by Ryukyu Shimpo

The San Francisco Peace Treaty took effect on April 28, 1952, when Japan gained its independence, and when Okinawa, along with Amami and Ogasawara, were split from Japan.

In Article 3 of the Peace Treaty, the United States, with Japan’s consent and without...