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June 1, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On May 31, a study by the Japan Peace Committee revealed that the indictment rate for general criminal offenses (criminal offenses excluding vehicular manslaughter due to negligence) by people associated with the U.S. military (military personnel, military contractors, and family members) during 2016 was 16.9%. The indictment rate in 2015 was 18.7%, less than half of the indictment rate of 39.1% in the same year for all crimes including those committed by Japanese citizens. This reveals that crimes by people associated with the U.S. military are still treated differently from those by the general populace. The indictment rate for people associated with the U.S. military in Okinawa in 2016 was 18.8%.
Of 83 general criminal offenses committed by people associated with the U.S. military in 2016, 69 did not lead to indictment, and of six rapes, five were not indicted. The indictment rate for the 16 years from 2001 to 2016 was a mere 17.6%.
Regarding the reasons for the low indictment rate, the Japan Peace Committee suggests that prosecutors are faithfully implementing a secret agreement with the United States regarding renunciation of jurisdiction, wherein the Japanese government promised it would not assert primary jurisdiction except for incidents judged to be highly significant for Japan, and also points to the barriers to investigation posed by the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). The Japan Peace Committee emphasizes the need to revoke the secret agreement and revise the SOFA.
The Japan Peace Committee compiled these statistics on the basis of a document regarding crimes committed by U.S. forces, which it obtained through a disclosure request to the Ministry of Justice.
(English translation by T&CT and Sandi Aritza)
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June 2, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
In January this year, the U.S. Navy’s former aircraft parking apron of Kadena Air Base was relocated in accordance with the 1996 Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) agreement to reduce noise in neighboring residential areas. However, on June 1, a representative from Kadena Air Base expressed that the base will continue to utilize the former parking apron in Kadena Town, Okinawa during an interview with Ryukyu Shimpo. The representative’s understanding was that this “does not violate” the agreement.
The Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) and Kadena Town have been protesting the use of the former parking apron. Following a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft flying in from South Korea’s Osan Air Base on May 31, the prefecture and town claim that the use of the parking apron is a violation of the SACO agreement; the U.S. military denies this. The U.S. military is seemingly not holding up their end of the bargain. The local government has been strongly opposing this since it is counteractive to “reducing (their) burden.”
On June 1, a representative from Kedena Air Base responded to Ryukyu Shimpo’s interview. The representative denied violating the agreement and said, “The temporary use of the north aircraft parking apron (Navy’s former aircraft parking apron) is in line with the agreement made by both the Japanese and U.S. governments.” On May 31, the Japanese government requested that the U.S. Air Force carry out “operations that would take the noise reduction initiative from the SACO Final Report into account.”
A representative from the Kadena Air Base commented, “[We’ll] only use the north aircraft parking apron only when there is no other choice.” The representative then commented, “[We] have operational demands for Kadena Air Base.” The representative expressed that Kadena Air Base intends to continue to use the former parking apron.
Following a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft using the former parking apron on May 31, OPG official Takekuni Ikeda called Colonel Paul Oldham, Commander of the 18th Mission Support Group, Kadena Air Base over the phone and requested for the base to stop using the parking apron. It was pointed out that the use of the parking apron “clearly goes against the intent of the SACO agreement.” Commander Oldham argued otherwise and said, “It does not violate the SACO agreement.”
Even after the relocation in January, transient aircrafts (KC-135 Stratotanker and C-146A Wolfhound) have flown in and have temporarily landed at the former parking apron. People from Kadena Town are upset, claiming that the relocation effort was pointless.
According to a representative from the Okinawa Defense Bureau, the U-2 reconnaissance aircrafts will continue to use the former parking apron for about a month.
(English translation by T&CT and Chelsea Ashmine)
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May 27, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
The awamori brewery Kumejima’s Kumesen (CEO: Masaya Shimabukuro) announced the release of their new Ryukyu Awamori “Karate,” at the Okinawa Karate Hall in Tomigusuku on May 26. The label has the kanji for “Karate,” and is decorated with things such as a black belt and weapons. Shimabukuro explained, “By fusing two of Okinawa’s traditions, karate and awamori, we hope to further broaden the culture.” The new brand is scheduled to hit the shelves in mid-June.
Inside Karate will be Kumejima’s Kumesen 30%. There will be a 1.8 liter bottle for sale for 1,500 yen, and a smaller 600 ml bottle for 600 yen. The brewery is also looking to sell outside of Okinawa. Part of the proceeds will go to the Okinawa Traditional Karate Promotion Association.
Choko Kyuna, chairman of the Karate Promotion Association, expects that, “As the birthplace of karate, Okinawa attracts karate practitioners from all over the world. Bringing back this awamori as a souvenir will help widen the appeal of karate.” Shimabukuro added, “I would also like to take the appeal of awamori overseas.”
(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)
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May 30, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Ikue Nakaima
On May 29 the National Federation of Dockworkers’ Unions of Japan, comprised of 22,773 members from around the country and chaired by Kinichiro Itotani, submitted a written request to the Japan Harbor Transportation Association (JHTA) that companies refuse soil hauling work related to construction of a new base in Henoko, Nago City. Prior to this the federation had made resolutions and declarations opposing the construction in Henoko, but this is the first time it has incorporated a written request for labor-management negotiations asking to discuss the topic as a labor problem.
Construction in Henoko requires 21 million cubic meters of soil, and out of this amount 17 million cubic meters (about 80 percent of the soil) will be transported from outside of Okinawa. Documents included with the Okinawa Defense Bureau (ODB) application for land reclamation named seven off-Okinawa locations as the sources for that soil. The named areas were Tokunoshima, Amami Oshima, Sata-misaki, Amakusa, Goto, Moji, and Setouchi.
An executive committee member of the National Federation of Dockworkers’ Unions of Japan and official of an affiliated commission opposing Henoko construction Chikara Moromi said, “We want to ask not to be made to do illegal work the same way we would face a workplace issue.” According to Moromi, the JHTA took the stand that as long as an authorized third party has not decided whether or not construction in Henoko is illegal, then it Is not the JHTA’s place to say.
The labor federation’s written request claims that forcing through construction of a new base in Henoko without a coral fracturing permit from the governor of Okinawa is an illegal action by the Japanese government. As such, it asks that laborers not be made to participate in something illegal. Specifically, the request asks that the JHTA: (1) as an employers’ association not turn a blind eye to the government’s illegal actions, and (2) enforce rules that prohibit member companies from conducting any soil hauling or handling work for Henoko new base construction. The federation is requesting the conclusion of a labor-management agreement under its right to collective bargaining.
(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)
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May 30, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
Efforts began on May 29 to pass down to future generations the experience and knowledge of Isamu Kuniyoshi,78, who worked for over 60 years collecting the remains and belongings of victims of the battle of Okinawa as a volunteer, before retiring in March of last year. The project will be led by the “Isamu Kuniyoshi Battle of Okinawa Remains Collection Group,” started by four volunteers from Okinawa and elsewhere who have been assisting Kuniyoshi with his endeavors. On May 29, the group explored the remains of a bomb shelter in the southern part of Okinawa Main Island under the guidance of Kuniyoshi. Thereafter, the group plans to collect data such as maps made for finding these remains and belongings based on the recollections of Kuniyoshi. They are also looking into establishing a permanent installation for displaying the artifacts collected by Kuniyoshi.
The catalyst for the formation of the group occurred when Ryota Noda, 31, moved to Okinawa from Fukuoka in 2014. Noda was introduced to Kuniyoshi by a mutual acquaintance, at which point he learned about Kuniyoshi’s remains collection activities.
Noda felt strongly that, “Once I learned that there were still remains to be uncovered from the Battle of Okinawa, I knew I had to help somehow,” and began pitching in. When Noda learned that Kuniyoshi was going to retire in March, 2016, he thought in order to continue the remains collection operation, “If we do not turn his memories into data, we won’t be able to do anything.” Noda stressed the importance of recording everything.
Young people are also participating in the organization. For example, Keigo Nishio , 18, is a first-year student at Tokyo University, and serves as the student co-leader. When Nishio was in his final year at Nada High School in Kobe, he displayed artifacts collected by Kuniyoshi and testimonials from survivors of the battle at the culture festival in his school. Since then, he has arranged 13 exhibitions in Kansai and other regions. Nishio, who transcribes the information he receives from Kuniyoshi says regarding the determination to pass down Kuniyoshi’s experience, “We want to record the things I hear from Kuniyoshi, and pass them down to this generations and generations to come. We also want to create a map of the artifacts, and to create a database.”
(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)
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May 25, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
A twenty-year-old Taiwanese mother who delivered a baby in the seventh month of pregnancy while travelling in Okinawa flew from Naha Airport to Taiwan with her baby at 9 p.m. on May 24. The newborn had gained 1600 grams, making him twice his March 30 birth weight, 884 grams. The doctor who took care of the infant, Masaya Miyagi at the Nanbu Medical Center/Nanbu Child Medical Center, gave the “okay” for the family to return home, saying “the baby is growing well.” The mother thanked medical staff; “I’m very relieved that our child is growing well. I cannot describe our appreciation for all the support we received including the financial support.”
The baby is a boy, and although he was born prematurely, he has been growing well on breastmilk from his mother. As it has past the 40th week, the week of expected delivery, the mother and boy are finally able to go home.
Financial donations to the family had reached 20 million yen as of May 24, enabling the family to cover the eight million yen in medical costs as well as 200 thousand yen for the nursing support from Okinawa to Taiwan. The Ryukyu Overseas Chinese Association and its president Mitsuteru Harimoto is planning to donate the surplus to the prefectural government to go towards helping if this event occurs again in the future. Some of the 300 donors are anonymous. The president Harimoto expressed gratitude, “we would like to show our appreciation somehow.”
The baby’s name has the chinese character of “mountain” in the hope that he will grow up strong and tough. The mother promised she would revisit Okinawa, saying “we would like to come back to Okinawa when he reaches three years of age. We would like to show him walking well to the people who supported us.”
(English translation by T&CT and Sayaka Sakuma)
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May 25, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
May 25th marked one month since the commencement of embankment work in Henoko, the first stage of land reclamation for Futenma Air Station’s replacement facility. The Ryukyu Shimpo photographed the construction area from the sky with a small wireless helicopter and confirmed there were crushed stones spread over the beach and a stone wall extending linearly towards the sea side.
The Japanese government launched the embankment work on April 25th. On the first day, workers began lowering five bags of crushed stones into the water by crane.
When the tide is up, the crushed stone bags are piled up on the beach. After May 8th, the work of dropping the crushed stones into the sea was also proceeding.
On the sea, citizens are protesting every day. Citizens in front of Camp Schwab gate also continue their sit-in to prevent construction vehicles from entering the base.
At the protest site, prefectural police and the Japan Coast Guard detained and moved off protesters. People were arrested.
Photo: On the afternoon of May 24 at the “K9 Seawall” of Camp Schwab, Nago City, the construction site where the landfill is steadily proceeding. (photographed by a small wireless helicopter).
(English translation by T&CT and Megumi Chibana)
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May 27, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On May 27, in front of the gate of Camp Schwab, Henoko, Nago, the All Okinawa Council held a rally seeking to stop the K9 seawall construction and never allow the environment to be destroyed. The council aims to block the construction of the new U.S. base in Henoko, which is part of the project to relocate the Futenma airfield in Ginowan. According to the organization, about 2,000 people from the central and southern parts of Okinawa Main Island and other prefectures took part in the rally.
Hiroshi Ashitomi, co-representative of the Helicopter Base Objection Association, said, referring to news reports that the U.S. military is reviewing the plan to transfer some marines to Guam from Okinawa, “Opinion from residents in the destinations [abroad and outside of the prefecture] is reflected in policy-making, but, it is not be reflected in Okinawa. Because Okinawa is regarded as a colony. The Japanese government is also involved. If Japan is a true independent country, it should stop [the Henoko relocation] immediately”.
Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine highlighted in a message read out the rally that the government had abandoned its administrative efforts. He called for the participants to become single minded about completely blocking the project because the government, he claimed, was trying us to get Okinawans to give up by forcefully carrying out the construction of the seawall.
Suzuyo Takazato, co-chairperson of the All Okinawa Council, said in the closing speech at the rally, “Camp Schwab has been involved in various wars such as Vietnam and Afghan. We cannot allow a new base to be built. Our unity can thwart any attempt to build the new base.”
(English translation by T&CT)
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May 29, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
At a press conference held on May 29 at a hotel in Tokyo, former Rolex world No. 1 pro golf player Ai Miyazato, 31, announced she is retiring because her motivation “cannot be maintained”.
She revealed that she decided to retire last summer. “I have been unable to make an ideal practice in my training for four or five years. I consulted with my mental coach about how I will overcome it. I have made an effort with the team,” she said.
“There are still games to play this season,” she said, “I will honor and respect the games and I want to play my best each game. I want to participate in all major games. I still have a chance to win. I have not given up.”
When asked whether she has a plan to marry, she said with smile, “I do not for now.”
Regarding her future plans, she said she had not decided on anything.
[Ryukyu Shimpo Electronic version]
(English translation by T&CT)
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May 25, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On May 24, the Ryukyu Shimpo interviewed Kanehide Group Chairman Morimasa Goya, who said the group is ready to embark on more multifaceted and diversified business ventures, including expanding overseas. Kanehide Group marks the 70th anniversary of its founding on May 25. On the eve of the group’s 70th anniversary, Goya said, “Our theme is to make Kanehide Group a place where each and every employee aims for an organization with a 100-year history.”
Regarding expanding overseas, Goya stated, “By next April, we aim to have a concrete plan of what business we will expand overseas.”
Goya has visited Vietnam and Myanmar to observe aluminum and steel factories, golf courses and the like. He said the environments were promising, stating, “Looking at the cities there, I think there’s room to expand into the steel and supermarket sectors.” He said the company expects to expand into Asia, where significant growth can be expected. This fiscal year the company will investigate which of its businesses have potential for overseas expansion.
Goya also explained that the current management environment surrounding Kanehide Group is changing drastically. Given the continued aging of society, Goya analyzes that the frequency with which customers will shop at large supermarkets will decrease continuously. He said that the group plains to aim to increase customer convenience by setting up many small-scale supermarkets in residential areas. With Okinawa’s economy solidly strong as a result of increased tourism and other factors, Goya emphasized, “While rejoicing at the economic growth and development, we will continue to work on building mechanisms and constructing our abilities.”
Kanehide Group has also promoted employment of women in executive positions. As of April of last year, 20% of managerial positions were held by women, and Goya says that their next goal is to have 20% of the group’s directors be women. April this year marked the start of the group’s midterm management plan, “Vista 555.” This is a five-year plan which aims for the group to see 150 billion yen in sales and 5 billion yen in operating profits, as well as for employees to be able to leave work at 5 p.m. Chairman Goya emphasizes, “I want to endeavor to make Kanehide Group a rewarding place to work.”
(English translation by T&CT and Sandi Aritza)
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May 25, 2017 by Ryukyu Shimpo
The Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau (OCVB) released their 2016 report for the Multilingual Contact Center, which handles foreign visitors. The number of support cases for 2016 increased 8.7% from the previous year to 7,145. A large number of requests were for interpretation while talking to taxi drivers and hotel staff, and the report made it clear that multilingual support at sightseeing spots were insufficient. There was an increase in tourist information requests such as details about taking wedding pictures etc., however the report highlighted a lack of sufficient staff resources to meet tourists’ needs.
Chinese was by far the most often requested language at 4,290 cases, accounting for 70% of the total requests. Mainland Chinese (simplified Chinese) was prominent at 2,107 cases. “Interpretation help” was the most requested at 2,936 cases, followed by “information requests,” (1,998 cases), “assistance” (503 cases) and “transportation information” (356 cases).
Foreign tourists who needed emergency medical help, as well as requests for interpretation at medical facilities stood out among the types of requests. There were also many requests from foreign tourists asking for information about things such as where they could use fireworks, or for event information.
The center offers information and handles requests via a three-way call between the foreign tourists, interpreters, and center staff by phone, Skype, or email.
(Translated by T&CT and Sam Grieb)
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