March 25, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo
On March 24, the 4th Okinawa International Movie Festival commenced at Ginowan and other places around Okinawa. About 350 movie stars and artists, including a comedy duo from Okinawa and popular comedians from the main islands of Japan, walked on the 300-meter long red carpet set up around Ginowan Tropical Beach prior to the opening ceremony. The festival is showcasing a total of 102 features from 15 countries and regions. At the main venue, a film display began...
March 15, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo
On March 14, a black-faced spoonbill that had been entangled in fishing line recovered from its troubled situation flew into the sky over the Toyosaki mudflats, Tomigusuku. Two staff members of the Nature Conservation Section of the Okinawa Prefectural Government...
March 7, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo
On March 7 courtship displays by rare bearded mudskippers (tokagehaze or Scartelaos histophorus) were seen on the tidal flats in Fusozaki, Nanjo. Because the temperature was relatively high, the mudskippers stand up to attract each other before cuddling...
February 15, 2012 Photograph by Hiroaki Yamashiro
A high-pressure zone over the Okinawa region on February 14 brought blue skies and a summer-like day. A temperature of 26.5 degrees was recorded at Hateruma and on the Iriomote Islands, and in Naha it was 25 degrees, the sort of temperatures...
February 19, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo
In the afternoon of February 18, Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka visited the Second Futenma Elementary School, which is located adjacent to U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. In response to principal Harumi Chinen’s request that something be done to remove...
February 21, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo
In the afternoon of February 20, in keeping with the regulations governing the environmental impact assessment report (EIA) submitted by the Okinawa Defense Bureau to the Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) last December on the plan to construct an alternative...
February 14, 2012. Photograph by Yasuhide Matayoshi of the Ryukyu Shimpo
U.S. military personnel were seen training with firearms at around 3:30pm on February 13 at a location near the Camp Kinser perimeter fence beside Route 58 in Nakanishi, Urasoe.
Passersby looking through the fence...
February 13, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 12, the funa-asobi banquet of the style of the Ryukyu Dynasty was reenacted at Shuri Castle in Naha. Many people enjoyed listening to court music and dragon boat songs from all over Okinawa while watching boats on Ryutan Pond in Shurijo...
February 2, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 1, professional baseball spring training camps started in Okinawa and Miyazaki prefectures. Twelve baseball teams train throughout the month, aiming to improve prepare for games on March 30, the day that both the Central League and the Pacific League...
January 29, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo
At Misaki in Kitanakagusuku, arsa or hitoegusa (Monostroma nitidum Wittrock) seaweed is extending its beautiful green carpet to the beach where seaweed farms are located. In February, it will be the full harvest season for the seaweed, now not...
January 24, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo
On January 23, a New Year’s prayer was carried out at Higa Katsuren in Uruma City. The prayer is called Hachiugan and people went around 12 sanctuaries praying for the prosperity of the island and for their family’s health. About fifty residents,...
