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Okinawa Prefectural Assembly and Tainan City Council cooperate to promote Agricultural exchange

Okinawa Prefectural Assembly and Tainan City Council cooperate to promote Agricultural exchange

July 22, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

On July 21, a delegation from the Tainan City Council, Taiwan, visited the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly to meet with its chairman Zenshin Takamine. Both parties confirmed that they will promote exchange in the fields of economics, specifically focusing on agriculture.

Council Speaker Lai Mei-hui said, “We have an active agricultural sector in Tainan, including mango farming. Okinawa and Tainan have similar climates. We want to deepen cooperation with...

 

Picture books about Himeyuri and Zuisen students published

Picture books about <em>Himeyuri</em> and <em>Zuisen</em> students published

July 20, 2011 Eriko Tamaki of Ryukyu Shimpo

Two picture books have been published that tell the story of female high school students who joined nursing units in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Battle of Okinawa. They are the Himeyuri Picture Book (Himeyuri Alumnae Incorporated...

Two endangered species flower inconspicuously up in the northern mountain area

Two endangered species flower inconspicuously up in the northern mountain area

July 20, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

Nago City resident Toshiko Miyagi recently confirmed that the endangered species Kashinokiran or Gastrochilus japonicus, which is on the vulnerable (VU) category II Red List of the Ministry of the Environment and the Okinawa Prefectural Government,...

Singer UA sings for the Takae helipad campaign

Singer UA sings for the Takae helipad campaign

July 19, 2011 Naoki Isa

Japanese singer-songwriter UA gave a small concert at the debriefing session held at a farmer training facility in Higashi Village on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the commencement of the sit-in protest by the “Residents Association Against the Helipad...

Eight thousand people enjoy cuisine and culture on “Okinawa Day” in London

Eight thousand people enjoy cuisine and culture on “Okinawa Day” in London

July 18, 2011 Emiko Morita correspondent of Ryukyu Shimpo

The 3rd Okinawa Day, sponsored by the Okinawa Sanshin Association of London and the Okinawa Kenjin-Kai of the United Kingdom, was held in Spitalfields, in central London on June 25. According to a spokesperson for the...

China to launch direct flights from Beijing to Naha four times a week

China to launch direct flights from Beijing to Naha four times a week

July 16, 2011 Sakae Toiyama of Ryukyu Shimpo

With the introduction of multiple-entry visas for Chinese tourists, the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture, Hirokazu Nakaima, and a support group visited Beijing on July 15 to carry out a public relations campaign for Okinawa tourism. They called at...

VacilOki, Spanish radio program from Okinawa

VacilOki, Spanish radio program from Okinawa

July 18, 2011 Teppei Ikeda of Ryukyu Shimpo

VacilOki, the first Spanish-language radio program in Okinawa, is gaining popularity.
It was started by Okiraji, a FM community radio station based in Okinawa City. The program’s four hosts, each with a different nationality, are attracting...

Nishie designated a Living National Treasure for Kumi Odori Ongaku-uta Sanshin

Nishie designated a Living National Treasure for Kumi Odori Ongaku-uta Sanshin

July 16, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

On July 15, the Cultural Affairs Council (headed by Suzuko Nishihara) recommended to Yoshiaki Takagi, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology that 70 year-old Kishun Nishie (originally from Iheya Village, but currently residing in Nakaima,...

People of Yaeyama offer dance performance to God of fertility at the beginning of the Harvest Festival

People of Yaeyama offer dance performance to God of fertility at the beginning of the Harvest Festival

July 15, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

The harvest festival was held in the Ohama district, Ishigaki City, on July 9 and 10, offering prayers for a bountiful harvest both this year and next summer. Starting at Ohama, the Yaeyama regions have entered the harvest festival season. A diverse range of festivals...

Ishigaki Island comes third among world’s best dive areas

July 15, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

Ishigaki Island was judged as the third best place in the world to dive for three consecutive years at the Dive & Travel Awards 2011, hosted by the Marine Art Center that publishes “Marine Diving,” a monthly diving magazine.
Ishigaki Island won the...

Forty years after the removal operation of stocks of U.S. poison gas, a representative of residents says, “We live still close to the munitions depot”

Forty years after the removal operation of stocks of U.S. poison gas, a representative of residents says, “We live still close to the munitions depot”

July 15, 2011 by Ryota Shimabukuro of Ryukyu Shimpo
On July 15, 40 years passed since phase II of the Red Hat Operation in which 13000 tons of poison gas munitions, including Mustard, Sarin and VX were removed from Okinawa to Johnston Island in the North Pacific Ocean. Residents never knew that...