CURRENT ISSUE
Pick Up Stories

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
2013.05.19
Karate Tournament heading to Ginowan [Sports]
The main arena of the Ginowan Civic Gymnasium is the venue for the Fighting Karate Open Tournament on May 26th. Doors to the Sunday events, which are free to the public, open at 9 ...
Futenma relocation timeline again slipping [News]
A senior U.S. Marine Corps officer has hinted that the site of an air base in Okinawa Prefecture may not be returned to Japan in fiscal 2022, the earliest possible time the United ...
U.S. recognizes Japan sovereignty over Okinawa [Politics]
The United States recognizes Japanese sovereignty over Okinawa, a Department of State spokesman said Thursday. Patrick Ventrell, the department’s acting deputy spokesman, mad...
Se-fa Utaki breaks visitor record during Golden Week [News]
One of the most important holy places of the Ryukyu Kingdom, “Se-fa Utaki” in Nanjo City, counted the highest number of visitors in one day on May 4 when 3,146 people visited the s...
Large hime habu captured in Kunigami [News]
Yasuhiro Makishi captured an unusually large Himehabu snake (Okinawa pit viper) on a forest road in the Sosu district of Kunigami Village around 2 a.m. on May 13. According to a pr...
Low price hotel chain to tap into Okinawa market [Business]
The Tune Hotels, an affiliate of AirAsia, the largest of Asian low cost carriers, has cast a serious eye on Okinawa tour market, and is in the process of putting their plans to wor...
Two bull sharks found in Asato River [News]
Two young bull sharks were discovered in Asato River in Naha, May 8. Toshihiro Nakanishi, an Urasoe City worker spotted the two sharks, one 70 cm and the other about one meter long...
Free shuttle bus to run in southern Okinawa during summer season [News]
Six resort hotels located in southern part of Okinawa, and a number of marine leisure companies have collaborated to set up a free shuttle bus called “Minami Kaza-Go” to run a rout...
Man arrested for hitting one-year-old boy [News]
A 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of hitting a one-year-old boy whom his female friend had left into the man’s care while she was away for work, on Yonaguni Island. Polic...
Rainy season has started [News]
Okinawa’s annual rainy season has officially started one day later than last year and five days later than average. The Okinawa Metrological Agency declared the start of the ...
Communist media suggests Okinawa belongs to China [News]
An article in a Communist Party newspaper suggesting China has a claim over the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa reflects Beijing’s intention to rattle Japanese Prime Minister ...
U.S. voices displeasure over China Senkaku’s stance [Politics]
The United States is criticizing China’s territorial claim around the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, over which tensions between the two Asian nat...
2013.05.16
Hashimoto wants U.S. military members to use sex industry [News]
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto has made comments throwing support behind the “comfort women” prostitution system created for Japanese soldiers during the wartime. “An...
2013.05.16
And this week’s winner is… [Weekly Winners]
Iain and Sayuri Hepburn were the lucky winner of the JU weekly raffle who will enjoy a delicious meal at Balinese Restaurant Sama Sama in Hamby. Iain is from England, more exactly ...
2013.05.15
Golden Kings out after disastrous home playoff series [Ryukyu Golden Kings]
“Shock and Awe” can be the only words to describe the meltdown by the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the semi-finals of the Basketball Japan League at the hands of a team that couldn’t bea...
2013.05.10
Ospreys delivered to Marine presidential helicopter squadron [News]
The helicopter squadron responsible for carrying the President of the United States and his staff, Marine Helicopter Squadron One, has received its first of 12 MV-22 Ospreys to be ...
2013.05.09
Three main events headline Sunday’s Tenkaichi Super Fights [Sports]
Jujitsu skills are on display Sunday afternoon at the Tenkaichi Super Fights in Koza Music Town, when the welterweight title match is on the line. Fighting on Mixed Martial Arts ru...
2013.05.09
Habu snake captured on Miyako Island [News]
A Sakishima habu snake has been captured on Miyako Island by a resident, sending officials worrying about how it got to the southern Okinawa island. This is the first time a Sakish...
2013.05.09
1st round BJL playoffs send Kyoto to Okinawa [Ryukyu Golden Kings]
The Golden Week first round of the Basketball Japan League playoffs was one of monumental achievements for teams, but Okinawa eyes were on the Kyoto Hannaryz, expected to win over ...
2013.05.09
Osaka’s mayor now favors Futenma relocation here [Politics]
Toru Hashimoto, mayor of Osaka and co-leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party), traveled to Okinawa last Tuesday for a three-day visit, during which he was expected ...
