The amount of beer exported from Okinawa in 2015 reached 2,488 kiloliters, which is a 41.5 percent increase on the previous year. The profit from beer sales increased by 38.1 percent, bringing in 380.7 million yen – a record number for the sixth consecutive year. Orion Beer makes up the majority of exports, owing to a growing number of loyal customers among international tourists in Okinawa. In addition, breweries’ active promotion led to an increase in the number of stores carrying products. The establishment of new air routes also contributed to the increase in exports.
The new record figures for beer exports were announced by the Okinawa Custom-House on August 18. The scale of beer exports in 2015 expanded to over four times that of 2010. This number indicates that beer is now one of the major Okinawan products, along with food products. The sales for the first half of 2016 from January to June increased by 20 percent on the previous year, and it is expected that this year’s record will once again exceed the record from the previous year.
Okinawa’s ratio of beer export on the national level also grew in 2015. Out of Japan’s total exports, Okinawan beer accounted for 3.4 percent of 73,770 kiloliters and 4.5 percent of the 8 billion and 549.79 million yen of sales. As the domestic beer market shrinks, large manufacturers in Japan are attempting to expand their international share. Okinawa-based beers led by Orion Beer exceeded the national average of beer companies’ share of exports. Okinawan companies are trying to expand their share s gradually every year.
The major export markets include Taiwan with 1,367 kiloliters and 181.11 million yen, the U.S. with 545 kiloliters and 105.14 million yen, and Hong Kong with 258 kiloliters and 45.03 million yen.
Orion Beer is aiming to expand its international market share and has started to conduct full-scale marketing in Russia and New Zealand. In Taiwan, “Orion Draft” is now being sold at major convenience stores, and the company’s very first foreign office was opened there last February.
On August 14, the Seventh All Okinawa Bullfighting Summer Tournament was held at the Ishikawa Multipurpose Dome in Uruma City. The event decided the middleweight (less than 970 kilograms) and lightweight (less than 850 kilograms) champions of Okinawa’s fighting bulls.
Toshi Hayate defended his twelfth champion title successfully in the middleweight division making him the longest-reigning champion in the post-war period. He beat the 1984 record of 11 titles. The audience was uplifted by his performance. About 2,500 people cheered as the bulls demonstrated their skills, fighting ferociously in clouds of dust.
The champion in the middleweight division “Tosho Hayate” on August 14 at the Ishikawa Multipurpose Dome in Uruma City.
Meanwhile, another champion Seifuoudo, known for being good in long battles, fought challenger Oshirodaiku. Both did not give in an inch and had a long battle that marked the longest battle in the tournament at 35 minutes and 7 seconds. Oshirodaiku won the championship.
A great achievement in Okinawa Bullfighting
According to Tosho Hayate’s owner Ryosei Kochi, Tosho Hayate beat the previous record of champion title defense, which was eleven titles held by the strongest bull in the post-war Okinawa history Iwate Togai. The achievement by Tosho Hayate established a new record.
The champion in the lightweight division “Oshirodaiku.”
On August 22, riot police forcibly removed about 90 protestors who were blocking construction vehicles working on construction of new helipads in the Northern Training Area spanning Higashi Village and Kunigami Village in Okinawa. One man and one woman were injured in the confrontation and were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Riot police penned protestors in between police vehicles over the span of an hour, and some protestors complained of feeling sick in the heat of the day.
Riot police officers forcibly remove protestors on the morning of August 22 in Higashi Village, Takae.
Construction vehicles were going to enter the Northern Training Area’s N1 zone gate, so protestors blocked Takae Bridge that connects Prefectural Route 70 to the gate. They did this by parking about 30 cars on the bridge in lines of two or three cars, sitting between their cars, and even laying under their cars to prevent the construction vehicles’ passage.
Riot police forcibly removed sit-in protestors and towed cars, clearing Takae Bridge. At around 11 a.m. on August 22, about 20 vehicles related to helipad construction, including about 10 trucks hauling gravel, gained passage through the N1 zone gate.
The two injured on this occasion were 87-year-old Henoko resident Fumiko Shimabukuro and a 63-year-old man from Ogimi Village. In a scuffle with riot police, Shimabukuro’s pinky finger on her right hand was gashed and required five stitches, with full recovery expected to take one week. The resident of Ogimi Village, who had been sitting between vehicles, was hit and held down by a riot police officer, the officer’s knee on his chest. He gave his account of the experience, saying that the officer’s use of force was excessive. The protestor, enraged, said that the officer kept up the pressure on his chest for two or three minutes.
In the month since construction on the helipads began, the Japanese government has strengthened its firm posture on helipad construction. Okinawans are criticizing the government for pushing construction work forward as though it takes priority over Okinawans’ human rights. When construction of the helipads began on July 22, three people were injured and hospitalized. Now, the total number urgently transported to the hospital in relation to protest activities against helipad construction has reached five.
On the afternoon of August 19, about 400 people gathered in Takae Ward of Higashi Village to hold a protest rally against the construction of new helipads in the U.S. military’s Northern Training Area (NTA). The people taking part in the rally aimed to prevent the gravel used for the construction from being brought through the N1 zone gate to the NTA. After 5 p.m., those protesting assembled a line of about 180 cars and drove them at a reduced speed from near the Higashi village office in Taira to the main gate into the NTA. The protesting citizens parked the cars around the gate and staged a sit-in to completely block off the main gate.
As of 7 p.m., there had been no confirmation of a lockdown or roadblock of Prefectural road 70 by riot police, nor had there been confirmation that trucks had carried the gravel into the NTA.
Those protesting linked arms and sang songs such as “Let’s sit-in (Suwarikome Kokohe). Hiroji Yamashiro, the director of the Okinawa Peace Movement Center, said, “It is predicted that the governments of Japan and the United States will fully start the construction. However, if the construction can be prolonged until next February, Okinawa woodpeckers start to build their nests then, which could postpone the construction for four months.” Yamashiro went on to say, “By holding extended protest rallies two times a week, we can fully prevent the gravel used for the construction from being brought into the NTA and make the Japanese government cancel the construction.”
State power mercilessly suppresses protest activities carried out by citizens on the basis of freedom of thought and belief. At this moment in time, the only places in Japan where that is happening are Henoko, Nago City and Takae, Higashi Village.
It is the duty of the media to be at the scene to engrave, as history, sites where the maturity of the country’s democracy is being sharply questioned. Nonetheless, hard-line security measures, which include sending in the riot police, have led to the removal and detainment of reporters on the job.
Freedom of the press is central to any democracy, and these acts, which violate that freedom, must be protested strongly.
Reporters from Okinawa’s two newspapers who were at the scene to cover protests against the construction of new helicopter landing pads (helipads) in the U.S. military’s Northern Training Area were confined, together with protesters, between riot police vehicles.
On the morning of August 20, the riot police began removing protesters who were staging a sit-in on Takae Bridge along prefectural route 70 in an attempt to block construction vehicles carrying supplies into the site.
A Ryukyu Shimpo reporter was twice grabbed by both arms by the riot police while filming the protesters being removed. The reporter was then pushed from behind for a distance of roughly 40 meters. The second time, the reporter was confined between the police vehicles. As a result of being wrongfully detained for approximately 15 minutes, the reporter was unable to film the protesters being removed.
The prefectural police claim that the removal and detainment were conducted to ensure safety, and that it was not clear that the reporter was a member of the press on the job. However, this doesn’t change the fact that the reporter was wearing a Ryukyu Shimpo arm band and repeatedly protested that she was a reporter, yet was forcibly removed from the scene nonetheless. There is no question that reporting was obstructed on the basis of a clear intent to do so.
At the site of the construction of a new base in Henoko as well, citizens continue to clash with the riot police and the coast guard. The case of a coast guard member climbing on top of the shoulders of a film director on a boat in Oura Bay is one example in which reporting shed light on the reality of the excess security taking place there.
In that case, a coast guard member climbed on top of the shoulders of a film director who was filming from a boat. The Ryukyu Shimpo published a series of photographs of the incident as verification, forcing the Japan Coast Guard, which had initially denied the incident, to switch to an explanation that the coast guard member had “used his whole body to prevent [the director] from falling off the boat.” If the incident had not been reported, the Coast Guard would likely have continued to deny that it had ever happened.
In April, the United Nations published a preliminary report on the findings of an investigation of the state of freedom of expression in Japan. The report sounded a warning that excessive force was being used against protesters. In light of international standards, such excessive security measures are clearly a violation of human rights.
In order to put a check on the excessive exercise of authority, it is essential for members of the press to work in the field. Detaining reporters puts democracy and human rights at risk. Such acts are unacceptable on numerous levels.
On August 14, Kenichi Miyamoto, Osaka City University professor emeritus and internationally recognized pioneer in the field of environmental economics, visited Henoko, Nago City, the planned relocation site for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. In Henoko, Miyamoto met and engaged in discussion with Hiroshi Ashitomi, representative of the Council Against the Helicopter Base, who has long been protesting in opposition to the construction of a new U.S. base in Henoko. “The public policy of expanding the base here is being forced [on Okinawa]. It is tragic that this is being allowed to happen. The fundamental nature of the public good entails the establishment of human rights for all citizens,” said Miyamoto.
Before meeting with Ashitomi, Miyamoto took a boat from the Teima fishing port to observe the colonies of blue coral on the ocean floor in Oura Bay. “I was able to see how large the coral reef here is,” said Miyamoto. “It is a magnificent reef, and it would clearly be wrong to destroy it.”
Miyamoto is a leading authority in the field of environmental economics, known for coining the Japanese word “kōgai,” which literally translates as “public harm” and refers to environmental pollution. He pursued the issue of pollution as a price paid for Japan’s period of rapid economic growth starting in the 1960s, and has studied and examined issues of pollution in the field for over half a century. He has also worked to find solutions to issues such as Japan’s “four big pollution diseases,” including so-called “Yokkaichi asthma” caused by sulfur dioxide pollution. He approaches the issues from a standpoint of respect for basic human rights and the independence of local governments.
Miyamoto had also planned to visit Takae, Higashi Village, where helipads are being built, on the same day, but had to cancel the trip out of concern for his health. “Mr. Miyamoto’s advice and the Japan Environmental Council [which he founded] are very important,” said Ashitomi. “It is essential to convey internationally the base issues faced by Okinawa.”
Miyamoto plans to visit Okinawa again in October for a meeting of the Japan Environmental Council.
On August 8, the August 23-30 issue of the weekly magazine Jyosei Jishin hit shelves, containing a printed discussion between actress Sayuri Yoshinaga and political scientist Sang-jung Kang concerning construction of new helipads around Takae, Higashi Village, The topic of their discussion is the prevention of a new pre-war period. Through the dialogue, they touched on execution of the security legislation, citizens’ movements, Article 9, and abolition of nuclear weapons, among other things.
Kang pointed out that, “[The government] is forcefully suppressing Okinawans who are opposing construction of U.S. military helipads in the community of Takae, Okinawa.” In response Yoshinaga said, “I wish the people of Okinawa, who have had experiences so painful that they cannot be expressed with words, would be treated more humanely.” Both wished that the Japanese government would treat Okinawans opposing helipad construction more like people.
In the article, Yoshinaga says, “I have such a feeling of sympathy [for Okinawa], that it makes me wonder if the Marine Corps are so necessary, why are the Marines not brought to Tokyo [to be stationed]?”
In her career, Yoshinaga has appeared in Aa Himeyuri no To, a 1968 movie themed around the Himeyuri “Lily Corps” students. She is continuing her life work of doing public readings of poems about the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and of tales for children about the Battle of Okinawa. At a 2013 meeting hosted by All-Okinawa for returning Okinawa to its own sovereignty, Yoshinaga delivered the message that, “It is our duty to think of Okinawa.”
The discussion on prevention of A New Pre-war Period between Yoshinaga and Kang is available to read at the web magazine Ryukyu Shimpo Style (Japanese only).
Washington special correspondent Sakae Toiyama reports
[Berkeley] At its annual national convention on August 15, Veterans for Peace, a peace organization made up of military veterans with 120 chapters across the United States, unanimously passed a resolution calling for cancellation of the plan to build a new U.S. base in Henoko, Nago City, the planned relocation site for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. In addition, the group unanimously passed an emergency resolution calling for the cancellation of the construction of new helicopter landing pads (helipads) around Takae, Higashi Village, a condition for the return of a part of the U.S. military’s Northern Training Area. It was the first time for VFP to pass a resolution regarding Henoko or Takae since it was established in 1985.
The text of the resolution opposing the Henoko base construction emphasizes that the governor of Okinawa and the mayor of Nago City oppose the plan. It points out that the new base construction plan will be “a further humiliation of Okinawans” and will be “an environmental catastrophe.”
The resolution further calls on all chapters of VFP to encourage local assemblies to pass resolutions demanding (1) the withdrawal of the 1st Marine Air Wing at Futenma from Okinawa, (2) the abandonment of the construction of a new base in Henoko, and (3) the removal of Osprey aircraft from Okinawa.
The text of the resolution regarding Takae criticizes the Japanese government’s forceful methods used to push forward the construction, including sending in the riot police, as a “shameful, antidemocratic and discriminatory action” and urges the U.S. government to abandon the planned helipad construction and communicate that intent to the Japanese government.
At the national convention, applause filled the room when the resolutions regarding the Okinawa base issues were passed.
The resolution was submitted by Douglas Lummis, representative of the Ryukyu-Okinawa chapter of VFP (VFP-ROCK) and lecturer at Okinawa Christian University. Lummis said that he was surprised that the vote was unanimous, and that it made him realize that support for Okinawa is spreading. He said that he hopes the resolution will lead to more resolutions being passed by city councils throughout the United States, eventually forcing the governments to abandon the base construction plans. Yoshikazu Makishi, an associate member of VFP-ROCK, said he has high hopes for the support of VFP’s political clout.
VFP Executive Director Michael McPhearson emphasized the need to pay attention to how the resolutions are handled by each VFP chapter going forward.
A special Okinawa corner set up by VFP-ROCK at the convention garnered attention, and many attendees stopped by. Roughly 100 signatures in opposition to the new base construction were gathered as of August 13.
The Okinawa Performing Arts Federation sent a delegation of Ryukyuan dancers to the 2016 Chengdu International Sister Cities Youth Music Festival, which was held from July 29 to August 2 at Chengdu City of Sichuan, China. Okinawan traditional performing arts were developed during the Ryukyu Kingdom era to entertain guests from China. Once again, Okinawan performers have shared Okinawan culture with China. They also deepened ties with performers from other countries. Photographs show scenes from the Festival.
On July 31 at the outside stage in Pengzhou City, Setsuko Tamashiro performed “Digunu hana gukuru.
On July 31 at the outside stage in Pengzhou City, Takeshi Kamiya played “Bu no mai” to the crowd
On July 31, at the outside stage in Pengzhou City, Keiko Taira (left), Reiko Ota, Tamako Asato, and Akiko Yamakawa danced “Hamachidori.”
On July 30, at the Chengdu Eastern Memory in Pengzhou City, Akiko Yamakawa (left), Reiko Ota, Momoko Mizuno, and Shinji Uehara danced “Tanchame” in front of a large audience.
On July 31 at the outside stage in Pengzhou City, dancers from Russia performed in an energetic way.
On July 30 at the Chengdu Eastern Memory in Pengzhou City, performers from New Zealand shared powerful songs and dances.
Japan’s “hometown tax” system allows people to give donations to local government bodies of their choice and deduct that amount from their residents’ taxes. On August 6, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced the amount that each local government body will lose in individual residents’ taxes in fiscal 2016 (revenue outflow), which reflects the amount of donations made through the hometown tax system in 2015. Of the 41 cities, towns, and villages in Okinawa Prefecture, the amount received far exceeded the outflow in places like Nago City and Nakijin Village. Reasons for these surpluses include political circumstances and advertising of gift items sent to those who make donations. Naha experienced the most significant revenue outflow, a loss of 84.69 million yen (it brought in 5.45 million yen in donations).
Meanwhile, Nago City experienced the most significant surplus, at 252.84 million yen. Nago received 257.4 million yen in hometown tax donations, while revenue outflow through the same system was only 4.56 million yen. The amount Nago received was nearly ten times more than what it received in fiscal 2014. Nago does not send gift items to people who make donations, but factors influencing the increase in donations include a desire to support the Nago municipal government in its opposition to the plan to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko, and the fact that as of last year, it became possible to submit donations online.
According to the Nago municipal government’s fiscal division, it received a donation of 200 million yen from an anonymous donor in Tokyo last December, and has received many messages of support, saying things like “I sincerely support you in your opposition to the construction of a new base in Henoko,” together with donations.
Nakijin had the second largest surplus within Okinawa, at 177.1 million yen. Nakijin received in 177.25 million yen in hometown tax donations, while experiencing an outflow of only 160 thousand yen. Ishigaki City had the third largest surplus, at 70.81 million yen. Ishigaki received 77.11 million yen and experienced an outflow of 6.3 million yen. Both Nakijin and Ishigaki have set up special hometown tax websites and advertise widely the special local products that they provide as gifts to people who donate.
The Okinawa branch of Students Emergency Action for Liberal Democracy (SEALDs), a student organization that was set up to oppose Japan’s controversial security bills, announced on August 10 that it would continue its activities despite the national organization dissolving itself. While SEALDs announced it would dissolve itself on August 15, SEALDs Ryukyu said it would continue its work. The organization intends to keep holding events such as “Salon,” a study session that will invite prominent figures from outside of Okinawa to give talks. Ai Tamaki, a member of the SEALDs Ryukyu, pointed to construction of helipads in the U.S. miltary’s Northern Training Area in Takae, and new base construction in Henoko as the reason why they will continue to maintain the organization. Tamaki said, “Our organization is different from other SEALDs groups in the main island of Japan because of these two issues. In particular, we are in the middle of a tense situation in Takae, so we can’t disband ourselves.”
SEALDs was set up in May 2015. Other branches were launched in Kansai, Tohoku, and Tokai area. Since the SEALDs in Tokyo announced that it would disband on August 15 after the election of the House of Councillors in July, other branches announced they would dissolve themselves too.
Webcam(Kokusai Street)
