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Surveillance footage of Shuri Castle Fire reveals 18-minute gap

Surveillance footage of Shuri Castle Fire reveals 18-minute gap

February 27, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

On February 26, the Okinawa General Bureau released surveillance footage of the Shuri Castle fire, captured on four security cameras positioned inside and outside the Seiden Main Hall.

According to the footage, the motion sensors detected smoke and alerted the guards of a fire.

The guards began attacking the fire with fire extinguishers 18 minutes after the alarms went off.

About 30 minutes had passed from when the alarms went off,...

 

Invited by the Sunlight A Pair of Okinawa Rails Getting Along in Aha, Kunigami

Invited by the Sunlight A Pair of Okinawa Rails Getting Along in Aha, Kunigami

February 23, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

Kunigami – On the morning of February 22, a pair of what appeared to be Okinawa rails (yambaru kuina) were observed engaging in mating behavior on an agricultural road in Aha, Kunigami.

The Okinawa rail is a Natural Monument of Japan. The adorable pair...

The disappearance of foreigners from the streets due to coronavirus continues to assail Okinawa’s economy, with travel agency sales – which rely heavily on Chinese patronage – dropping to almost “zero”

The disappearance of foreigners from the streets due to coronavirus continues to assail Okinawa’s economy, with travel agency sales – which rely heavily on Chinese patronage – dropping to almost “zero”

February 26, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

As the coronavirus (COVID19) continues to spread over the world, including throughout Japan, the prospects for Okinawa meeting their goal of bringing 10 million tourists to Okinawa this year is looking bleak, and the effects are starting to be felt all over Okinawa’s...

Steel object drops from U.S. military helicopter into ocean 1.3 kilometers from Torii Station

Steel object drops from U.S. military helicopter into ocean 1.3 kilometers from Torii Station

February 25, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

At about 1:10 p.m. on February 25, a steel object was dropped from a CH-53E transport helicopter, which is stationed at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, over the ocean 1.3 kilometers west of Torii Station in Yomitan Village.

The object was being...

Night mayor ISSA carries out ‘official duties’ during Koza Night event

Night mayor ISSA carries out ‘official duties’ during Koza Night event

February 22, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

Okinawa City, Okinawa—ISSA, a member of the popular J-pop group DA PUMP, participated in Koza Night, a bar-hopping event organized by the city. ISSA was appointed night mayor (nightlife official) for Okinawa City in 2018 and while the singer is currently on...

“Voting isn’t the end”–one year after the referendum, youth speak their minds

“Voting isn’t the end”--one year after the referendum, youth speak their minds

February 24, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

February 24 marked the passage of one year since the prefectural referendum showing Okinawans’ opposition to the land reclamation in Henoko, Nago as part of the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan. On February 23, four youth in their...

In Okinawa, the Cosmos are in Full Bloom! “I Came After Seeing it on Instagram” Rice Fields in Igei, Kin

In Okinawa, the Cosmos are in Full Bloom! “I Came After Seeing it on Instagram” Rice Fields in Igei, Kin

February 21, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

Igei, Kin is a prominent rice-growing region in Okinawa. In the Igei rice fields, cosmos flowers are in full bloom. The beautiful weather on February 20th brought people to the fields to be delighted by the colorful flowers swaying in the wind.

In December...

A Naha native thriving at a Washington D.C. law firm

A Naha native thriving at a Washington D.C. law firm

February 17, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Tamiko Suzuki

Yoshina Kishimoto, 39, a Naha City native, works at a Washington, D.C. patent law firm where she files patent applications for trademarks and designs.

Unlike Japan, the U.S. employs a unique patent agent system.

Owning design...

Dugong survey fails to confirm that dugong still inhabit ocean around Okinawa Island

Dugong survey fails to confirm that dugong still inhabit ocean around Okinawa Island

February 18, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Okinawa Defense Bureau has not been able to confirm that the ocean around Okinawa Island is inhabited by dugong through its dugong surveys being conducted in association with construction the Futenma Replacement Facility.

In November of last year,...

A reduction in tourist visitors to Okinawa due to coronavirus, anticipated to be around 500,000, could lead to a decrease in tourism revenue of 28.1 billion yen, cause 1,940 job losses

A reduction in tourist visitors to Okinawa due to coronavirus, anticipated to be around 500,000, could lead to a decrease in tourism revenue of 28.1 billion yen, cause 1,940 job losses

February 20, 2020 Ryukyus Shimpo

The Nansei shoto Industrial Advancement Center (NIAC, Mitsuru Omine, president) announced their estimation of the effects the corona virus would have on the Okinawan economy February 19.

They estimate that the effects of the virus would continue from...

Embankment to be built for new Henoko base could collapse, weak ground fails to meet national port facility standards

Embankment to be built for new Henoko base could collapse, weak ground fails to meet national port facility standards

February 17, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

Regarding the issue that data existed indicating the presence of “weak” ground deeper than 70 meters below the sea surface at the location of the new base construction in Henoko, Nago, Niigata University emeritus professor of geology Masaaki Tateishi and...