Nipponica

Uechi, 61, who was elected mayor of the westernmost Japan town for the first time in Sunday's election, has shown understanding of the deployment of Self-Defense Forces in the town but takes a cautious stance on expanding defense capabilities further.

In 2016, the government opened the Ground SDF's Camp Yonaguni in the town to enhance the defense system for the Nansei island chain in southwestern Japan. A missile unit is planned for future deployment.

Going to both sides this one as Yonaguni is literally on the front line of a future China-Taiwan conflict and increasing national defense there is an obvious goal. But it is the same old story in Okinawa, more guns and no peace.

Okinawa resident Hiromasa Iha can still recall the screams of his classmates and teachers after a U.S. military jet crashed into his elementary school, killing 18 people, more than six decades ago.

As people globally commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the 72-year-old retired businessman is among many residents who oppose the American troops stationed on their island ever since.

He joins dozens of islanders in near-daily protests against the U.S. military.

The United States has around 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, mostly on Okinawa, and a string of incidents over the years, including sexual assault cases, have angered residents.

"For us, these crimes and accidents are not someone else's business, and we feel a pressing unease that we can't predict when these things may happen again," he said, recalling the 1959 school incident.

"We want the bases to go."

I lived across the street from where this US jet crashed into an elementary school in the 1950s. The signs of the American occupation are everywhere and can be easy to tune out once you get used to them. But it is still something that impacts the daily lives of Okinawan people, in both big and small ways. They deserve to be able to live on their land without foreign powers in Washington and Tokyo using them as a pawn.

Yonaguni Island, Japan’s westernmost remote island in Okinawa Prefecture, might not have a single doctor from next spring as the island’s only clinic will be unable to secure one, partly due to a possible contingency in Taiwan.

A Tokyo based medical association, which has dispatched doctors to the town of Yonaguni, has indicated that it would stop sending them, raising concerns among those living on the island, which is located only about 110 kilometers from Taiwan.

While it is understandable that many fear the impact of a possible war in Taiwan, an island community without medical care is not a community at all. Give them hazard pay, recruit from overseas, whatever is necessary to keep Yonaguni alive.

Firefighting efforts on the ship, anchored near White Beach Naval Facility in the city of Uruma in Japan's southern island prefecture, involved U.S. Navy personnel as well as support from the Japan Coast Guard and the Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki expressed his deep frustration over the incident, warning at a press conference that it could have led to "a major disaster involving residents."

Americans making messes overseas. Just another day.

Oshiro, 84, who survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and now resides in Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture, has lived in Okinawa since the year after World War II ended. Under U.S. rule until 1972, Okinawa lagged behind the Japanese mainland in providing support for hibakusha, or atomic bomb survivors. For many years, Oshiro did not speak about her experiences. What changed that was her connection with other hibakusha on the island.

Everyone should read the whole article to not only understand the life of an atomic bombing survivor but also the discrimination they faced in the decades after the war.

The exterior of Shuri-jo Castle's main hall stands reborn once more with reconstruction complete and reporters visiting the historic space here on Aug. 6.

The castle is in the process of being rebuilt after being destroyed in a 2019 fire. The Seiden main hall's roof lined with red tiles unique to Okinawa Prefecture, vermilion pillars and vibrant ornamentations have all been restored.

It feels so good to see Shuri-Jo back again. I first visited it in 2016 during my first trip to Okinawa and was devastated to see it destroyed in 2019. When I lived and worked in Okinawa over the past few years, it was slowly being rebuilt. Ready to book a return trip to Ryukyu to see it in its full glory again.

The ¥2,000 banknotes never gained popularity, despite the promotional efforts of the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Japan, because most ATMs and vending machines did not issue or accept them. Circulation peaked at around 510 million notes in August 2004, and then declined rapidly thereafter. Since that fiscal year, no new notes have been printed, and the number in circulation has remained just below 100 million, which is only 0.6% of all banknotes in circulation. The notes have become so rare that many people have never encountered one or wonder if they can still be used to make purchases.

However, in Okinawa the situation is quite different. The note has special significance for residents of the prefecture because it features an illustration of the Shureimon gate of Shuri Castle, which is the symbol of Okinawa. ATMs for Okinawa Bank and the Bank of the Ryūkyūs have a “¥2,000 priority button” that allows users to choose to withdraw these notes to use for their daily purchases.

I distinctly remember using an ATM in Okinawa for the first time and the 2000円 notes being spit out. Was my first time seeing them and I briefly thought I was being scammed. They are beautiful banknotes and the only remaining ones with the previous design language since they were not changed with its 1000円, 5000円, and 10000円 comrades.

The Finance Ministry on Tuesday upgraded its economic view on Okinawa Prefecture, reflecting robust vehicle sales and an increase in Japanese and foreign tourists.

Any good news about my old home is welcome. Okinawa during the pandemic was a quiet place so it is good that things are picking back up.

Feral goats in the village of Higashi’s Takae district in northern Okinawa Prefecture were designated by the Okinawa Prefectural Government in 2023 as an invasive species that urgently needs to be controlled.

Wild goats are causing damage to crops in the village, as well as on Iriomote Island, and there are concerns that they could negatively impact the forest ecosystems harboring rare animals and plants.

The village and prefectural authorities are working to catch the goats and prevent the spread of the invasive species.

A tale of unchecked immigration gone wrong in the hills of northern Okinawa. A plague of west Asian goats taking precious grass from the local people. A damn shame and a disgrace.

Typhoon Komei, also known as Typhoon No. 8, which had turned into a tropical cyclone, became a typhoon again Sunday night over the sea near the main island of Okinawa. It will pass near the main island of Okinawa on Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a large and strong Typhoon Krosa, also known as Typhoon No. 9, is moving northward at about 30 km/h with stormy winds as of 9:00 a.m. Monday morning over the waters near the Ogasawara Islands. The central pressure is 965 hectopascals, and the maximum wind speed near the center is 40 meters.

Stay safe out there.