Archive for December, 2018

Recent News

Postponement of seawall construction in Oura Bay for FY2020 on may be result of soft seabed

Postponement of seawall construction in Oura Bay for FY2020 on may be result of soft seabed

 

December 22, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

On December 21, it came to light that construction of the seawalls on the Oura Bay side of Cape Henoko, planned for FY2018, is to be postponed to FY2020 or beyond.

Building the seawalls is part of construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility in Henoko, Nago City.

Approximately 52.5 billion yen appropriated for construction expenses in FY2018 went unused, and on December 21, the Cabinet decided also not to include...

 

Southern Cross viewing season arrives in Ishigakijima

Southern Cross viewing season arrives in Ishigakijima

December 22, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

The season for viewing the Southern Cross, a constellation that symbolizes the southern sky, has arrived in Okinawa’s Yaeyama region.

In the early morning on December 20, the first photograph this winter of the Southern Cross was taken...

Base relocation issue taught in Portland school

Base relocation issue taught in Portland school

December 23, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

By Yukiyo Zaha, Washington correspondent

Moé Yonamine, a 40-year-old Naha City native, teaches social studies at a high school in Portland, Oregon. She authors online articles and educates her students on aspects of Okinawan history and the latest U.S....

Former Army Colonel Wilkerson says Marine Corps in Okinawa is “strategically unnecessary”

Former Army Colonel Wilkerson says Marine Corps in Okinawa is “strategically unnecessary”

December 23, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

By Washington Special Correspondent Yukiyo Zaha

On December 19 former U.S. Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, who worked as the chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell during George W. Bush’s administration, had an interview with the...

Okinawa Prefectural Assembly demands immediate halt to soil deposits in Henoko

Okinawa Prefectural Assembly demands immediate halt to soil deposits in Henoko

December 21, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

On December 20 the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly (chaired by Yonekichi Shinzato) held the final meeting of its November plenary session. At this meeting, the Assembly adopted a position statement through a majority vote, carried by the prefectural ruling coalition....

Henoko citizens share their feelings one week after soil deposits began

Henoko citizens share their feelings one week after soil deposits began

December 21, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

December 21 marked one week since soil deposits began at the planned land reclamation area in Oura Bay as part of the construction of the Futenma replacement facility in Henoko, Nago City. So, how do local Henoko citizens feel? Masao Nishikawa, 74 years old,...

White House petition to halt Henoko construction reaches 100,000 signature goal in 10 days

White House petition to halt Henoko construction reaches 100,000 signature goal in 10 days

December 18, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo Digital Edition

At a little past 3:00 p.m. on December 18, the online petition to halt the new base construction in Henoko, Nago City in association with the relocation of the U.S. military Futenma Air Station surpassed its goal of 100,000 signatures and reached...

Two years after its return to Japan, the Northern Training Area remains littered with used flares, un-fired bullets, and the remains of pre-war life

Two years after its return to Japan, the Northern Training Area remains littered with used flares, un-fired bullets, and the remains of pre-war life

December 24, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

By Yuri Shimizu

 

On December 25, it will have been once year since the reversion of the U.S. military’s Northern Training Area (NTA) land to landowners.

I took a walk through this land, led by Akino Miyagi, who researches insects...

Sukuta Ward in Nago demands Okinawa Defense Bureau take preventative measures after latest U.S. military stray bullet incident

Sukuta Ward in Nago demands Okinawa Defense Bureau take preventative measures after latest U.S. military stray bullet incident

December 20, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo Digital Edition

 

Nago – Having received confirmation that the stray bullet discovered in...

Unexploded bomb diffused in Uebaru: “WWII legacy lingers”

Unexploded bomb diffused in Uebaru: “WWII legacy lingers”

December 18, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

Okinawa Urban Monorail suspended its service temporarily while an unexploded ordnance was diffused in Uebaru, Naha City during the morning hours on Dec.

16th. At each station, signs were posted near the turnstiles to notify passengers of...

Mikiko Onaga, wife of former governor, attends protest at Camp Schwab gate

Mikiko Onaga, wife of former governor, attends protest at Camp Schwab gate

December 15, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

“What can be said about a country that is able to show such contempt toward public opinion? The very nature of the country of Japan is being called into question.”

On December 14, Mikiko Onaga, 63, wife of former governor Takeshi Onaga,...