Archive for the Politics Category
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April 12, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
April 12 marked 21 years since the U.S. and Japanese governments agreed on the whole return of Futenma Air Station to Okinawa. Since the Futenma Air Station return plan set forth construction of a replacement facility in Henoko and therefore within Okinawa, Okinawans have continued to oppose relocation of MCAS Futenma within the prefecture. The governments of the U.S. and Japan are forcing through construction by asserting that the only solution to the dangers...
April 11, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On April 10, the Okinawa prefectural government (OPG) finished producing question-and-answer format pamphlets presenting the problems at hand with U.S. military base issues in a way that is simple and easy-to-understand. Examples of misinformation and baseless allegations...
March 29, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On March 28, the Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) ordered the Okinawa Defense Bureau (ODB) to suspend the submerging of concrete blocks into the sea, which is part of work to set up silt protectors for the construction of a new U.S. base in Henoko, Nago City....
March 16, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga made comment on the permit for fracturing reef rock as part of base construction in Henoko on the morning of March 16. The permit for fracturing the reef will expire at the end of March, and the Okinawa Defense Bureau has informed...
March 8, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Kazuki Furugen
On March 7, the Nago City Board of Education (BOE) requested the Okinawa Defense Bureau (ODB) to conduct a cultural property survey for the sea area of Ora Bay. This must be done before reclaiming the area from the sea. The U.S. military Futenma...
March 11, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On March 10, the Okinawa Defense Bureau (ODB) began work to set up silt protectors in the temporarily restricted area on Oura Bay, Henoko, Nago, to mitigate the impact of construction of a new airfield, which is part of a replacement facility for the U.S. Futenma...
February 26, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
Donations to Okinawa Prefecture’s “Chura Yuimaru Donation,” part of the Furusato Tax Program, which allows residents to divert part of their residence and income tax to a local government of their choice, are increasing. In the fiscal year 2016, as of the...
February 26, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met with Governor Takeshi Onaga on the morning of February 26 at the prefectural government office.
The governor submitted to the foreign minister a request containing 10 items, including seeking relocation of the U.S. Futenma...
February 23, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 22, Professor Masaki Tomochi from the Department of Economics at Okinawa International University presented his trial calculations regarding the economic benefit to Okinawa if the U.S. military’s Kadena Air Base is returned. According to his calculations,...
February 18, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 17, it was discovered that the Okinawa Defense Bureau has begun construction of a ready-mix concrete plant (concrete manufacturing machinery) as part of construction it is doing on land at U.S. Camp Schwab of related facilities in conjunction with...
February 19, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
At a press conference held on February 18 at Okinawa Prefectural Government Office, six diet members from Okinawa constituencies released a statement demanding the immediate release of Hiroji Yamashiro, director of the Okinawa Peace Movement Center. Yamashiro...