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Henoko seabed survey on hold for month [News]
The fight between the central government and Okinawa Prefectural government over the landfill preparation work for the Furenma replacement f...Read More

2014: Guard changes, but Futenma remains… [News]
For the third year in a row, the plans to move MCAS Futenma to a new base in Henoko, demands to move it out of the prefecture, and oppositio...Read More

Futenma, Senkakus provide most memorable… [News]
By Bill Charles If Futenma Marine Corps Air Station didn’t exist, and if China didn’t have its eye on the Senkaku Islands in southwestern Ok...Read More
7-Eleven formally announces opening stores in Okinawa [News]
Kazuki Furuya, the president of 7-Eleven Japan, had a press conference in Naha to make a formal announcement on opening the chain’s first stores in Okinawa. The first stores will o...
Monorail stations get currency exchanges [News]
According to Japan Tourism Agency, 90% of foreign visitors use cash when shopping, and they have been dissatisfied with the shortage of money exchange outlets in Naha. Okinawa Urba...
Mobi-Mat helps disabled to access beaches [News]
Barrier-Free Network Kaigi, a specified nonprofit cooperative, is starting to rent a device made by a French fabric and textile company that enables people in wheelchairs and mothe...
Government survey on poverty among Okinawa families [News]
According to a survey on poverty in Okinawa by the Okinawa Prefecture Government announced on Friday, one of four mothers and one if two fathers of poor families bring up their chi...
Mail, electricity becomes more costly, beer maybe [News]
Consumers in Japan are facing price hikes that in some cases went into effect from June 1st, although many local businesses say that they are in no hurry to boost the cost of commo...
Okinawa Zoo & Wonder Museum to get thorough facelift [News]
Okinawa City is proceeding with its project to renew and enlarge the Okinawa Zoo & Wonder Museum. According to the plan, the land area of the park will be increased from its cu...
Kitanakagusuku plans biogas power generation facility [News]
Kitanakagusuku Village is planning to construct an electric power generation plant that uses biogas from kitchen garbage from AEON Mall Rycom and other facilities located in the ar...
Makishi Public Market is busiest spot in Naha [News]
According to a traffic count and shopping street survey commissioned by Naha City in 2016, the busiest area in the city during weekdays is the northeastern part of Makishi Public M...
Awamori gets theme song [News]
The Okinawa Awamori Distillers’ Association presemted Monday a theme song titled “Moriagarou!” (Cheer up!) composed by a popular local band Kiiyama Shoten. According to the associa...
Orion revives “Orion Cider” soda pop for one year [News]
Orion Breweries Ltd., the maker of Orion Beer, is reviving on a limited basis “Orion Cider,” a soda pop that was popular in Okinawa during the 1970’s and 80’s. Orion Cider will be ...
U.S. airman arrested on DUI, hit and run suspicion [News]
Kadena Police arrested a 24-year-old airman Monday on suspicion of a hit-and-run. He is also suspected of having been under influence when the accident happened. According to polic...
Itoman police officer busted for sex with minor [News]
Okinawa Prefectureal Police announced Friday the arrest of 26-year-old Rikito Shimoji, a police officer at Itoman Police Station, on suspicion of violating the Prefectural Ordinanc...
Man killed after being pushed down stairs [News]
Okinawa City Police arrested 67-year-old Masanori Shimoji, Saturday, on suspicion of causing a bodily injury resulting in death. According to police, Shimoji is suspected of pushin...
Awase fishermen catch 335kg giant tuna [News]
A Pacific bluefin tuna weighing 335 kilograms was offloaded Sunday at Awase Fishing Port in Okinawa City. According to Manabu Uesato, the captain of Rua-maru, the boat that had cau...
Survey charts favorites of prospective foreign first-time visitors [News]
The Okinawa Convention Bureau (OCVB) recently conducted a survey on things visitors would like to buy and restaurants they want to visit. 892 first-time visitors from Taiwan, Hong ...
Kadena Gate 1 to be moved to alleviate traffic congestion [News]
The Japanese Ministry of Defense started ea study to move the Kadena Air Base Gate 1 on Highway 58 south of its current location in order to alleviate the traffic congestion in the...
Taiwanese mother and baby released from hospital, return to Taiwan [News]
A 20-year-old Taiwanese woman who gave birth prematurely while visiting Okinawa and her baby boy returned to Taiwan Wednesday evening. She had pay ¥8.5 million in medical costs bec...
OCVB multilingual tourist info inquiries increased 9% in 2016 [News]
Okinawa Convention and Visitors Bureau (OCVB) announced an analysis of the usage of its multilingual contact center for foreign tourists in 2016. According to the analysis, the cen...
Arcade Resort Okinawa Hotel & Café open in Okinawa City [News]
The Arcade Resort Okinawa Hotel & Café, a facility built in renovated vacant stores in the Ichibankan shopping arcade in Okinawa City, and managed by a nonprofit organization “...
Police warn women on increasing sexual assault incidents [News]
Okinawa Prefectural Police is warning women to be careful when they walk alone, especially when entering deserted areas late in the evening, as there has been 27 reported incidents...