While visiting the United States, Governor Tamaki meets with United Nations Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs, appeals for “making Okinawa the buffer zone of peace.”

While visiting the United States, Governor Tamaki meets with United Nations Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs, appeals for “making Okinawa the buffer zone of peace.”

Okinawa Denny Tamaki outside of the UN headquarters in New York after meeting with Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu


November 14, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

By Special Correspondent Yukiyo Zaha

New York – As part of his first official trip to the United States in office, Governor Denny Tamaki met with United Nations Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu on the evening of November 12 at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Governor Tamaki said to Nakamitsu, who is the first Japanese citizen to serve as Under-Secretary-General, which comes after the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General, “I would like to make Okinawa a buffer zone of peace for Asia.”
To this end, Tamaki expressed his desire to hold a summit that gather female leaders and first ladies throughout Asia in Okinawa.

 

Nakamitsu was appointed policy chief of Disarmament Affairs in 2017, the first Japanese woman to hold the position.

Governor Tamaki expressed to Nakamitsu a need for creating an environment and policy that allows women in Okinawa to get involved, and cooperating with UN endeavors to achieve peace.

While Tamaki did not touch on the new base construction in Henoko, Nago City, he explained that “the two wheels of the cart are peace and the economy,” with regard to Okinawa’s history and current situation.

Nakamitsu reportedly responded, “Working as hard as one can to build peace is a great thing.”

 

That morning, Tamaki visited the offices of the non-profit independent news organization Democracy Now to observe the editing of their show, as well as to speak with host Amy Goodman about the U.S. military base issue in Okinawa.

 

Governor Tamaki traveled to his next stop in Washington D.C. on November 13.

On the 14th he plans to visit the U.S. Department of State, Department of Defense, Congress, and various think tanks to meet with representatives from each office.

 

(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)

 

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