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Abe reiterates that the government will stick to the Henoko relocation plan

Abe reiterates that the government will stick to the Henoko relocation plan

February 3, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On February 2, for the first time since regaining the premiership, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Okinawa to meet Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima at a hotel in Naha. While Nakaima expressed his gratitude to Abe for meeting Okinawan requests for about 300 billion yen in development funding for the prefecture in its draft fiscal 2013 budget, he again requested that the central government relocate Futenma Air Station outside of the prefecture. Abe reiterated...

 

Sugar Hall Orchestra holds first performance

Sugar Hall Orchestra holds first performance

January 22, 2013 Takahiro Miyagi of the Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 20, at the Nanjo City Culture Center Sugar Hall, the professional orchestra group known as the Sugar Hall Orchestra held its first concert, entitled, Fate. Together with previous prizewinners of the Okiden Sugar Hall Armature...

Kitanakagusuku pupils receive e-learning delivered by Washington State University

Kitanakagusuku pupils receive e-learning delivered by Washington State University

January 27, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

Since last year, in conjunction with Washington State University, the Kitanakagusuku Municipal Office has been using a video-conference system to run a distance e-learning English program for elementary and junior high school pupils. The program is planned and...

University of the Ryukyus signs exchange agreement with Korean university

University of the Ryukyus signs exchange agreement with Korean university

February 1, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 24, the Mokpo National University of Korea and the University of the Ryukyus concluded academic exchange and cooperation agreements at the University of the Ryukyus campus in Nishihara. These agreements encourage both universities to exchange researchers...

Kids play in snow delivered from Hokkaido

Kids play in snow delivered from Hokkaido

February 3, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On February 2, about 40 children enjoyed using snow transported from Hokkaido to make snowmen at the Nago Municipal Stadium. This is the venue of the professional baseball team Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters’ training camp. Four companies, including Hokkaido Shimbun...

Defense secretary nominee vows to address Okinawa’s concerns about U.S. bases

February 1, 2013 Hideki Matsudo of the Ryukyu Shimpo reports from Washington D.C.

On December 30, in a written statement submitted to a hearing of the Senate Arms Services Committee, Chuck Hagel, the former Republican senator who has been nominated to become defense secretary in the second...

Eight professional baseball teams visit Okinawa for training camps

Eight professional baseball teams visit Okinawa for training camps

February 1, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

A total of 12 professional baseball teams commenced training camps on February 1. Eight of them have come to Okinawa to hold camps in various parts of the prefecture. On January 31, three teams, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and...

Amami and Ryukyu islands on World Heritage list

Amami and Ryukyu islands on World Heritage list

February 1, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 31, at a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial/Agency Co-ordination Committee for World Natural Heritage held at the Foreign Ministry, the Japanese government decided to apply for the inclusion of the Amami and Ryukyu islands on UNESCO’s provisional list...

Physically challenged travel abroad

Physically challenged travel abroad

January 26, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

Twenty five year-old Miki Higa, who was born with cerebral palsy, will visit the Philippines for a week from February 28 as the first person to go on the FLY ANAY! PROJECT. This project was established to support physically challenged individuals whose dreams...

Miss Okinawa Seira Kawabata aims to become Miss Universe

Miss Okinawa Seira Kawabata aims to become Miss Universe

January 24, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

Twenty one year-old student Seira Kawabata, who was chosen at the regional pageant held in Yomitan last November to represent Okinawa at the Miss Universe Japan 2013 pageant, visited the Ryukyu Shimpo Office recently. The Urasoe-born beauty queen said, “I...

University of the Ryukyus holds Career Fair for international students

University of the Ryukyus holds Career Fair for international students

January 23, 2013, Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 18, the International Student Center of the University of the Ryukyus held a special Career Fair for foreign students. According to the center, this is the first of its kind to be held in Okinawa. A total of 39 participants from four universities and...