CURRENT ISSUE
Pick Up Stories
Obon is time for family gathering to rem… [CULTURE CURRENT ISSUE]
For three days starting on Tuesday, August 25th through Thursday, August 27th, many privately owned businesses on Okinawa will close their ...Read More
Day of Naha: Immerse Yourself in the Cap… [Community CURRENT ISSUE]
July 8th is Naha Day in Okinawa. This special occasion originated from the use of play-on-words or rather, a play-on-numbers. Naha’s two syl...Read More
June 23rd, Okinawa’s Peace Memorial Day [CURRENT ISSUE]
June 23rd is ‘Irei-no Hi’. This is Okinawa’s Peace Memorial Day. It is a prefectural holiday formally recognized in 1961. It is to memoriali...Read More
Eyeglasses retailer Owndays to open shop in Okinawa [Business]
Major eyeglasses company Owndays that has a chain of 120 stores in and out of Japan has established a fully owned subsidiary Owndays Ryukyu in Naha City to open and operate Owndays...
2013.12.19
And this week’s winner is… [Weekly Winners]
Dan Gamboia was the lucky winner of the weekly JU raffle this time. He won a pair of tickets to Ryukyu Golden Kings basketball game. Dan is from California and has been living on O...
Yamaguchi agrees to accept KC-130’s from Okinawa [News]
One of the many pieces to the puzzle surrounding moving Futenma Marine Corps Air Station in Okinawa has been settled; Yamaguchi Prefecture has given thumbs up to letting the U.S. M...
Japan and ASEAN agree on air freedom [Politics]
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, has backed a bid by Japan for endorsement of “freedom in the skies” triggered by China’s imposition of a large air defense zone t...
2013.12.18
Nobody, simply nobody, can stop the Kings [Ryukyu Golden Kings]
The road to basketball victories is filled with bumps and potholes, but for now, no team in the Basketball Japan League has found a way to even slow – let alone stop — the high fly...
Okinawa Governor hospitalized [News]
Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima was hospitalized, Tuesday, after he experienced pain in his lower body, and numbness in his legs. According to Okinawa Prefecture spokesman, the g...
High school student fatally run over by car [News]
A 15-year-old high school girl was killed when she was ran over by a car while crossing the street in Toguchi, Kitanakagusuku, early Tuesday morning. According to Okinawa City Poli...
20 million chrysanthemums to be exported in December [Business]
Chrysanthemum is the most popular flower used for New Year decorations in Japan, and they are a big business for growers in Okinawa. According to Japan Agricultural Cooperative Oki...
Sachito Higa wins 2nd place at International Harmonica Festival [News]
28-year-old Okinawa chromatic harmonica player Sachito Higa won the 2nd place in the World Harmonica Festival in Germany in October. This tournament takes place once in every four ...
Fraudster calls disguised as police to get banking info [News]
Since Dec. 12, citizens in various parts of Okinawa Island have reportedly received phone calls from someone who claims to be from Okinawa Prefectural Police. Sixteen people have c...
2013.12.18
Kurara Chibana elected for WFP Japanese Ambassador [News]
Former Miss Universe 1st Runner-up, Naha-born Kurara Chibana, has been elected the Ambassador for the World Food Program (WPF). Chibana, who was the 1st Runner-up for the Miss Univ...
Kijimuna Festa suspended [News]
The Okinawa City Council decided in its regular December meeting, Dec. 12, to suspend next year’s Kijimuna Fest. The Kijimuna Festa officially started in 2005 as a city wide event ...
Kume to have island-wide WiFi [News]
In an interview at the prefectural office, Kume Island Mayor Choko Taira promised to install WiFi network throughout the island. Two work on the network starts on the 19th of this ...
Solitary deaths increase in Naha City [News]
According to Naha City Social Welfare Office, there were 40 cases of senior citizens of 65 years of age or older dying while living alone in 2011. In 2012 the number increased two ...
2013.12.13
Group aims to bring international auto racing to Okinawa [Sports]
By Bill Charles Race fever is making its way to Okinawa, where a local outfit has jumped onto the international motor race circuit –and finished well up in the pack — with an eye t...
PM2.5 air pollution measures highest this year in Okinawa City [News]
Air pollution known as particulate matter 2.5 was measured at its highest levels this year, Tuesday, in Okinawa City where officials measured the level of particulates at 105 micro...
Volunteer group to provide free legal advice Saturday [News]
The Anti-unemployment and Anti-poverty Okinawa Network, a volunteer support group for people who are homeless, on welfare or in need of secure housing, is organizing a tent event i...
Tokyo gives nod to Seoul air defense zone [Politics]
Even as it continues to lash out at China for its imposition of an air defense identification zone in the East China Sea that blankets the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands, Tokyo...
Iwakuni says ‘yes’ to Futenma-based tankers [News]
Another piece in the complex puzzle of what to do with Futenma Marine Corps Air Station in Ginowan City was put into place this week as Iwakuni’s mayor agreed to accept a plan to r...
2013.12.12
Governor standing firm against Henoko for FRF [Politics]
Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima has again underlined his unchanged stance of seeking transfer of the Futenma Marine Corps Air Station to the outside of Okinawa. Nakaima said at ...
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