CURRENT ISSUE
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Okinawa Expressway Renewal Work Starts J… [CURRENT ISSUE LIFE Living]
NEXCO, the company operating the Okinawa Expressway announces that Expressway renewal works start from January 6th to April 28th in 2026 bet...Read More

Itoman Tug-of-War marks end of summer [CULTURE CURRENT ISSUE ENTERTAINMENT]
Many Okinawan farmers and fishermen, in some form or fashion, pay tribute to the Gods, seeking their blessing and favor for a great harvest ...Read More

Awamori "Ku-su" Day [CURRENT ISSUE LIFE]
September 4th is the “Ku-su Day”, with September = ‘9’ which is pronounced ‘kyu’ or ‘ku’ in Japanese, and ‘4’ being pronounced ‘...Read More
Yomitan is going to be biggest village in Japan [News]
The current biggest town or village in Japan, Takizawa Village in Iwate Prefecture, which boasts a population of 54,900 will become Takizawa City from Jan. 1st , 2014, according to...
Parking lot for over 1,000 cars opens at Naha Shintoshin [Business]
The Tokyo-based Japan Parking Co., which is specializing in running hourly parking businesses opened a huge parking lot in Omoromachi, Naha, on July 1st. The site was used for a te...
Skymark starts three new routes connecting Ishigaki [Business]
Low cost carrier Skymark inaugurated three new routes connecting Ishigaki to Naha, Narita and Kobe on Jul. 10. This is the first time ever the airline has inaugurated three separat...
Japan voters head to polls on Sunday [Politics]
Sunday promises to be a big day for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as he keeps a watchful eye on voters turning out for the House of Councilors election, wanting to believe he’s going ...
China not impressed with Japan’s Defense Paper [News]
Less than a week after Japan’s Defense Ministry released its White Paper that took aim at the dispute with China over the Senkaku Islands, China has fired back, calling it “untruth...
Okinawa gears up for upper house elections Sunday [Politics]
Everyone’s on the campaign stump in anticipation of Sunday’s Upper House elections, and that includes Japan’s Prime Minister. Shinzo Abe has been in Okinawa campaigning since Tuesd...
Ginowan City cops bust Marine on DUI charges [News]
Police have arrested a 27-year-old U.S. Marine on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Okinawa Prefectural Police say they’re holding 1st Lt. Louis Kim of the U.S. ...
2013.07.18
Governor taking time to decide on Henoko landfill [News]
Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima says he will decide as early as November whether to approve landfill work necessary for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma Mar...
2013.07.17
Clardy takes reins of 3rd Marines [Military]
Maj. Gen. Frederick M. Padilla has relinquished his duties as the commanding general of 3rd Marine Division to Maj. Gen. H. Stacy Clardy III at a change of command ceremony aboard ...
Elementary school boy drowns in Hija River [News]
A worried parent called Kadena Police on July 12th that a 1st grade elementary school student Kazuki Tsuhako had not returned home by 8 p.m. The boy lived in the Yara district of ...
Typhoon Soulik hit Sakishima Islands hard [News]
Although typhoon Soulik neatly skirted Okinawa main island, Miyako, Yaeyama and Yonaguni islands experienced a direct hit, and suffered considerable damage over last weekend. Souli...
April sees slightly less people on dole in Japan [News]
The ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare published on Jul. 10 the numbers of people receiving public living assistance in Japan. According to the ministry figures, there were 33,3...
Water accidents at Onna village [News]
There were two separate water-related accidents in Onna village on July 7, in which one person died and one remains unconscious in a hospital. 74-year-old Tsutomu Marugame from Osa...
2013.07.15
De-junking the house easy with Yutaka Shouji [CURRENT ISSUE]
Its the season for moving, leaving Okinawa or deciding the time’s come to get rid of junk and old, unneeded things around the house. Procrastination sometimes comes as you contempl...
2013.07.12
China, North Korea worrisome to Japanese interests [Politics]
Concerns about China’s repeated incursions into Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, and North Korea’s belligerent actions with threats of ...
2013.07.12
Former Golden Kings coach to lead an expansion team [Sports]
The former head coach of the Ryukyu Golden Kings, Koto Tohyama, has been chosen head coach of the Bambitious Nara coming 2013-2014 season. Bambitious team officials made the announ...
2013.07.12
Newton inks new Kings contract, Yonamine leaves [Ryukyu Golden Kings]
Star forward Jeff Newton has signed a new contract with the Ryukyu Golden Kings, but former team captain Tsubasa Yonamine has announced plans to move to a mainland Japan team for t...
2013.07.12
And this week’s winner is… [Weekly Winners]
Genesis Reeves won the Japan Update weekly raffle this week, and has a pair of tickets to Jimmy Onishi art exhibition that runs starting this Saturday through Sep. 1 at Okinawa Pre...
10,000-dancer Eisa Festival to be held August 3 and 4 [News]
Organizers of the annual 10,000-dancer Eisa Festival and parade will be held Aug. 3 and 4 on Kokusai Street in Naha. Aug. 3rd sees a pre-festival starting at 6 p.m. with an Origina...
Asbestos found in tower on Camp Courtney [News]
Some workers renovating a residential tower on Camp Courtney may have been exposed to asbestos, a cancer causing substance that was used in the construction of buildings in the pas...
