Tag - okinawa

 
 

OKINAWA

JAPAN
Nov 12, 2018
Four Chinese ships briefly intrude into Japan's waters near Senkaku Islands
Four Chinese Coast Guard ships entered Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture on Sunday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Nov 9, 2018
A sad legacy of postwar upheaval, neglected graves hinder safety works in Okinawa
The area around the banks of the Hija River in the town of Kadena, Okinawa Prefecture, is dotted with graves that are left unattended with no one to inherit them, posing a growing problem for urban development and safety works.
JAPAN
Oct 31, 2018
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki pledges further action to stop construction of Henoko base
Tamaki argued that the central government's decision can be legally challenged.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / CABINET INTERVIEW 2018
Oct 25, 2018
Okinawa minister says the government needs better messaging on Futenma transfer to assuage local concerns
The newly installed minister of state for Okinawa affairs says the prefecture's residents deserve a full breakdown of the government's rationale for relocating a contentious U.S. military base from the crowded city of Ginowan to the coastal district of Henoko in Nago.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 20, 2018
Okinawa's Tamaudun ancient royal mausoleum to be listed as national treasure
The Tamaudun ancient royal mausoleum in Okinawa will become the second cultural asset in the prefecture to be listed as a national treasure.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Okinawa
Oct 12, 2018
Public and private sectors push to revive Okinawa's struggling awamori industry
With young people apparently finding Okinawa's awamori liquor less appealing, the industry has been hit with a decline in shipments for 13 consecutive years.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 10, 2018
New Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki may meet top government spokesman and Abe in Tokyo on Friday
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday he is considering meeting with new Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki in Tokyo on Friday.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 9, 2018
Northeast Asia as seen from Okinawa
Tokyo will continue to be the capital that is most concerned about North Korean medium-range ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads.
EDITORIALS
Oct 1, 2018
Pursue dialogue to resolve Henoko relocation standoff
Okinawa's new governor and the national government should instead dialogue to explore a way out of the standoff over the relocation of the Futenma base functions to Henoko.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Oct 1, 2018
Tamaki's election in Okinawa ensures feud over Futenma base will continue
The long-running standoff between Okinawa Prefecture and Tokyo over construction of a replacement facility for a U.S. military base is set to continue in the wake of Sunday's gubernatorial election.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 30, 2018
In blow to LDP, opponent of U.S. base relocation plan Denny Tamaki wins Okinawa gubernatorial race
In a major defeat for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the ruling bloc, Kyodo News and other media reported Sunday evening that former Lower House member Denny Tamaki, a staunch opponent of a controversial central government-backed plan to relocate a U.S. military base, won Okinawa's governor race over...
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 27, 2018
Countdown to Okinawa's critical election
The Okinawa gubernatorial election is an important one for the prefecture, for the central government, for the Japan-U.S. alliance and for the Indo-Pacific region as a whole.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 26, 2018
Okinawa residents urged to vote in advance of Sunday's election with Typhoon Trami on the way
With Typhoon Trami predicted to pass over Okinawa Prefecture this weekend, candidates for Sunday's gubernatorial election are making efforts to get voters to the polls early out of concern over the effect the storm could have on the final result.
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Sep 11, 2018
U.S. base relocation top issue in Okinawa gubernatorial election
Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga's death last month at age 67 from pancreatic cancer came just over three months before the originally scheduled gubernatorial election and just days after he announced the prefectural government would take steps toward retracting permission for landfill work related to a new...
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 10, 2018
Fate of U.S. base remains unresolved after Okinawa assembly elections
Voters in 25 Okinawan cities, towns and villages went to the polls Sunday to elect assembly members ahead of the Sept. 30 gubernatorial race, including the closely watched match in Nago, where the results failed to deliver a clear verdict on a controversial U.S. military base.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 9, 2018
Okinawans vote in key local municipal assembly elections; U.S. base issue tops Nago residents' balloting
Voters in 25 Okinawan cities, towns and villages went to the polls Sunday in key local municipal assembly elections ahead of the Sept. 30 gubernatorial election.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 7, 2018
Documentary to capture views of young Okinawans on U.S. Futenma base issue
As Okinawa continues to be roiled by tensions over a plan to move a key U.S. air base within the prefecture, filmmakers from Iwate Prefecture are using their next documentary to give younger Okinawans a greater voice.
WORLD
Sep 7, 2018
New Zealand deploys patrol plane to Japan for North Korea sanctions enforcement
New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said on Friday his government was deploying a maritime patrol aircraft to Japan to assist with efforts to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea.
JAPAN
Aug 20, 2018
Okinawa marines' version of Da Pump's 'U.S.A.' goes viral
U.S. Marines based at Okinawa's Camp Foster have sparked a viral internet craze with a rendition of the summer hit song "U.S.A." by Japanese hip-hop band Da Pump, raising hopes of improving the image of U.S. forces in Japan.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 19, 2018
Okinawa referendum could bring clarity
A prefectural vote would give all residents a voice on the Futenma relocation plan.

Longform

The byzantine process for converting a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one entails mountains of paperwork and significant stamina — unless you're a lucky license holder from a country or region where these requirements are waived.
Driving in Japan isn’t hard. Getting the license is.