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Futenma noise pollution lawsuit monetary award lowered over 30% in appeal ruling

Futenma noise pollution lawsuit monetary award lowered over 30% in appeal ruling

April 17, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

The ruling for the appeal in the 2nd Futenma noise pollution lawsuit, in which the 3,415 residents who live in the area around MCAS Futenma filed suit seeking a substantive flight stoppage as well as compensation for both past and future damage, was handed down by the Fukuoka High Court Naha Branch April 16.

Presiding Judge Shodo Okubo, in keeping with the ruling in the initial trial, recognized the illegality of the noise pollution, however he rejected...

 

Skip Martin of Grammy-winning Dazz Band made Okinawa goodwill ambassador

Skip Martin of Grammy-winning Dazz Band made Okinawa goodwill ambassador

April 19, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) has declared American Grammy-winning musical artist Skip Martin, 61, a goodwill ambassador for Okinawa.

At Haneda Airport in Tokyo on April 16, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki met Martin to present him with a certificate...

MOE investigates sightings of two dugong near Hateruma Island

MOE investigates sightings of two dugong near Hateruma Island

April 18, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

On April 16 the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) publicized the results of its 2018 investigation of the dugong habitat.

According to the investigation, on August 22, 2018 two dugong specimens thought to be parent and child were seen from a helicopter at...

Second-generation Okinawan descendant meets with her mother’s relatives in Okinawa

Second-generation Okinawan descendant meets with her mother’s relatives in Okinawa

April 19, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Yousuke Asato

“I’m proud to have connected with Okinawa.”

On April 9, Natalie Ann Yasumine, a second-generation Okinawan descendant from Georgia, arrived in Okinawa with the goal of meeting her relatives, which she accomplished.

She...

Battle of Okinawa was “hell on earth”: A veteran’s vow to peace

Battle of Okinawa was “hell on earth”: A veteran’s vow to peace

April 4, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

Friends of the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum hosted an educational 5K peace walk in Naha City on April 13. The course stretched from “Sugarloaf Hill”, which was the bloodiest battlefield during the Battle of Okinawa, to Shuri Park, where the former...

Okinawa Shogaku Junior High School receives MEXT Minister Prize for largest number of Eiken passers

Okinawa Shogaku Junior High School receives MEXT Minister Prize for largest number of Eiken passers

April 12, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

On March 29, the Okinawa Shogaku Junior High School was awarded the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Minister Prize (junior high school division) as the entity with the largest number of people nationwide who passed the Eiken...

Residents near MCAS Futenma concerned by high concentrations of PFOS/PFOA in water, U.S. military refuses on-base investigation

Residents near MCAS Futenma concerned by high concentrations of PFOS/PFOA in water, U.S. military refuses on-base investigation

April 12, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Maki Nagamine

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), the use of which chemicals is principally prohibited within Japan, have been detected at high concentrations in spring water and other water sources in the vicinity of the...

The three participating parties at a summit to reduce the base burden agree to set new deadline for closing MCAS Futenma

The three participating parties at a summit to reduce the base burden agree to set new deadline for closing MCAS Futenma

April 11, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

Tokyo – Representatives from the Japanese government, the Okinawa prefectural government, and Ginowan City met April 10 at the prime ministers offices for a conference to further the lessening of the burden brought by MCAS Futenma.

At the conference, the...

Complaints of aircraft noise from Air Station Futenma at a record high of 684

Complaints of aircraft noise from Air Station Futenma at a record high of 684

April 12, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

In 2018, Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture received 684 complaints pertaining to the aircraft noise from the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

This is a record high since Ginowan City began accepting complaints in 2002.

The number of complaints...

Okinawa Governor protests fatal incident involving U.S. solider, resulting in local apprehension

Okinawa Governor protests fatal incident involving U.S. solider, resulting in local apprehension

April 15, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo online edition

On April 13 the dead bodies of a U.S. Navy sailor assigned to a Marine unit in Okinawa and a Japanese woman were found in an apartment in Kuwae, Chatan Town. It appears the sailor fatally stabbed the woman and killed himself. Okinawa Governor Denny...

U.S. navy sailor presumably kills woman, commits suicide

U.S. navy sailor presumably kills woman, commits suicide

April 14, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

On the morning of April 13 a 44-year-old Japanese woman and a 32-year-old U.S. Navy sailor assigned to a Marine Corps unit in Okinawa were found dead in a bloody apartment bedroom in Kuwae, Chatan Town.

According to the prefectural police, there are signs...