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Editorial: U.S. military denies entry to base preventing essential right conduct surveys

July 12, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

The current situation wherein we cannot even conduct an investigation into environmental problems that could very well threaten the lives and livelihoods of Okinawans is one that we cannot approve of. The Japanese government must quickly pursue an effective policy that will allow such surveys to be conducted on the grounds of U.S. bases.

The Okinawa Defense Bureau (ODB) requested permission to enter Kadena Air Base in order to conduct a survey to check...

 

Committee formed in order to inscribe Okinawa Karate on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Asset List

Committee formed in order to inscribe Okinawa Karate on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Asset List

July 11, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Committee for Okinawa Karate UNESCO Listing was recently formed with the goal of getting Okinawa Karate registered as an intangible cultural asset with the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The committee members gathered...

Yonabaru establishes Okinawa’s first ordinance to toast with awamori

Yonabaru establishes Okinawa’s first ordinance to toast with awamori

July 10, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

An auspicious custom with awamori.

On July 9, in hopes of passing on the culture of and to promote Ryukyu awamori, the Yonabaru Town Council unanimously agreed on Okinawa Prefecture’s first “ordinance that promotes toasting with Yonabaru Town’s Ryukyu...

Assistant Professor Shitara captures photograph of Iriomote cat kitten on Iriomote Island

Assistant Professor Shitara captures photograph of Iriomote cat kitten on Iriomote Island

July 10, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

Recently, Assistant Professor Takuto Shitara of the Iriomote Station at the University of the Ryukyus Biosphere Research Center succeeded in photographing an Iriomote cat kitten.

Iriomote cats are Special Natural Monuments of Japan, peculiar to Taketomi Town...

Music played with the fingers!? This is Okinawan summer’s “traditional performance art”

Music played with the fingers!? This is Okinawan summer’s “traditional performance art”

July 16, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo
Hiroki Ohashi

Okinawa’s finger-whistling music can be heard cheering on the teams at high school baseball games and at Eisa performances. On July 7, Finger-Whistling Day, a “Summer Vacation Finger-Whistling Concert 2019” was held at the JICA Okinawa...

Koza City attracts tourists as “military-base town”

Koza City attracts tourists as “military-base town”

July 08, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

Koza City, known as “the military-base town”, is a microcosm of Okinawa. Okinawa City Tourism and Promotion Association has worked to allure visitors locally and from afar, under its president, Takashi Shimabukuro.

The association began receiving class...

Naha NPO to build community center in Egypt with MEXT support

Naha NPO to build community center in Egypt with MEXT support

July 9, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

In June, a plan by the NPO Ichiman-nin Idobata Kaigi, which runs the Hantagawa Community Center in Naha, Okinawa, to build community centers in Egypt was adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as a “project for promoting...

350 people protest Futenma Replacement Facility as Camp Schwab sit-ins enter sixth year

350 people protest Futenma Replacement Facility as Camp Schwab sit-ins enter sixth year

July 6, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

On July 6 about 350 people gathered in front of a Camp Schwab gate, demonstrating their opposition to the construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) in Henoko, Nago City, for the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma (MCAS Futenma).

This...

Japan will not appeal ruling in Hansen’s disease family discrimination lawsuit, however declines commenting on compensation for those affected in pre-reversion Okinawa

Japan will not appeal ruling in Hansen’s disease family discrimination lawsuit, however declines commenting on compensation for those affected in pre-reversion Okinawa

July 9, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

Toyko – The Japanese government decided July 9 not to appeal a ruling by the Kumamoto District Court that recognized that as part of the government’s quarantine policy for those afflicted with Hansen’s disease, not only the afflicted but also the families suffered...

Prefectural government aims to pass ordinance this year to protect Okinawan scarce wildlife

Prefectural government aims to pass ordinance this year to protect Okinawan scarce wildlife

July 3, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) has decided to propose to the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly an ordinance to protect scarce prefectural wildlife, due to the poaching and exploitation of Okinawa’s wildlife.

Because there are many rare forms of wildlife...

U.S. military again removes residents’ protest tents near Northern Training Area N1 zone gate

U.S. military again removes residents’ protest tents near Northern Training Area N1 zone gate

July 4, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

Local residents who oppose Northern Training Area (NTA) helipads have set up tents, tent furnishings, simple toilets and other items as part of their opposition in front of the NTA’s N1 zone gate.

On July 2 the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa removed these...