Okinawa Gov. Tamaki turns to Tokyo for support on drifting pumice stone damage

Okinawa Gov. Tamaki turns to Tokyo for support on drifting pumice stone damage

Governor Denny Tamaki requesting aid from Minister of Okinawa Affairs Kosaburo Nishime on November 2 in Tokyo, to address the drifting pumice stones in Okinawa.


November 2, 2021 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

On November 2, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki visited the Minister of Okinawa Affairs Kosaburo Nishime and other cabinet members in Tokyo to request systematic and financial support in restoring the local beaches and ports damaged by pumice drifting from the Ogasawara Islands after an underwater volcanic eruption.

 

Governor Tamaki explained that along with the damage to seaports and fishing ports caused by the drifting pumice stones, “we are concerned [the drifting pumice stones] will disrupt the flow of people and goods, affecting the residents of the outer islands.” Tamaki added that in addition to environmental degradation such as marine life disturbance, there have been impacts on tourism—the core industry of the prefecture—as tourists have canceled their trips. Minister Nishime commented, “We will continue to monitor the situation closely, including any damage to the fishing industry and impacts on tourism.”

 

Before meeting with Minister Nishime, Governor Tamaki also met with Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and asked for his support in case the situation became difficult for the prefecture to resolve. In the afternoon of the same day, Tamaki made a similar request to Tetsuo Saito, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, and others.

 

(T&CT and Monica Shingaki)

 

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