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Pick Up Stories

Okinawa Beach Opening Information 2026! [CURRENT ISSUE LIFE]
Okinawa Beach Opening Information 2026! Ginowan Tropical Beach (Apr. 18) Chatan Sunset Beach (Apr. 10) Chatan Araha Beach (Mid. Apr.) Nishih...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
2013.01.16
Golden Kings lose focus and split home series [Ryukyu Golden Kings]
The Ryukyu Golden Kings practically bounced onto the hardwoods of Ginowan to the cheers of adoring fans Saturday, and they didn’t disappoint them, pulling off a 77-50 win to push s...
3rd MEB resumes role as alert contingency MAGTF [Military]
The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade has resumed its role as the command element for the Asia-Pacific region’s alert contingency Marine Air-Ground Task Force. As the command ...
2013.01.16
And this week’s winners are… [Weekly Winners]
This week we have two winners instead of the usual one as we raffled away two prizes. Dan R. Daniels and Jason Wright both won a pair of tickets to Ryukyu Golden Kings’ basketball ...
2013.01.13
Naha City unveils new City Hall [News]
It’s not exactly what the city fathers had in mind when they began planning for a new Naha City Hall and Office Building, but it’s what came about after they discovered the coffers...
Japan, U.S. to discuss defense guideline revisions [Politics]
Japan and the United States will soon begin discussions on a planned revision to the guidelines for their defense cooperation. Foreign and defense ministry officials will gather in...
Government cautious in seeking landfill permit for Henoko [News]
Japan will carefully consider when to apply to the Okinawa governor for approval for reclamation work that is crucial to the planned relocation of a U.S Marine Corps base in the so...
Chinese ambassador summoned over ship in Senkaku waters [News]
The latest incursion of a Chinese ship into waters controlled by Japan pushed the Foreign Ministry into summoning the Chinese Ambassador to Japan for a diplomatic scolding. Tokyo s...
2013.01.11
JASDF wants fighters deployed to Shimoji Island [News]
The old civilian airport on Shimoji Island off Miyako Island is getting a second lease on life, at least if the Japanese Air Self Defense Force has its way. The airport, which curr...
Prime Minister may visit Okinawa [News]
Four Japanese cabinet ministers have agreed to consider Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Okinawa as part of the government’s efforts to make progress in issues rela...
Resident dies when flames engulf house [News]
Flames ripped through a single-story residential structure in Urasoe City’s Miyagi district one morning last week, leaving in its wake the body believed to be than of an unemployed...
Three injured as explosion rocks Urasoe home [News]
Three people were injured Monday by an explosive hidden inside a plain paper bag in a residential district of Urasoe City after a man picked it up and took it into his house. Polic...
Okinawa-based MSDF sailor arrested for assault [News]
Police in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, arrested a 21-year-old male Maritime Self-Defense Force sailor who lives in Toma district of Naha City and his 23-year-old 4th year university s...
Tomigusuku population passes 60,000 mark [News]
Tomigusuku city population exceeded 60,000 as of the end of Dec. 2012, becoming the 6th largest city in Okinawa surpassing Itoman. There are 11 cities in Okinawa Prefecture. The po...
Naha fire destroys three houses, no injuries [News]
A private house in Yogi, Naha City, caught sire at 8 a.m. on Sunday, and the fire spread to two neighboring houses as well. All three one-story buildings were totally destroyed. Na...
Man and teen dependent girl nabbed for theft [News]
Okinawa police arrested a self-styled male sports supervisor from Camp Kinser, and a female underage military dependent from Kadena Air Base Sunday on suspicion of theft, Okinawa C...
Night angler disappears, drowns at Naha seawall [News]
A boat operator reported to the 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters 10 a.m. Sunday morning, that an angler that the operator had taken to a seawall off Naha New Port a day earli...
Eight-car pile-up on Aja Bridge [News]
An eight-car pile-up involving five passenger vehicles, one U.S. military vehicle and two Y-plate cars took place on an elevated Aja bridge on Hwy 58 in Jitchaku district of Urasoe...
2013.01.09
Golden Kings again flying high as BJL leaders [Ryukyu Golden Kings]
The Ryukyu Golden Kings ushered in the new year the same way they said goodbye to 2012, kicking the butts of Basketball Japan League opponents and push their league leading record ...
U.S. sailors sue TEPCO over nuclear accident [News]
U.S. Navy sailors have sued Tokyo Electric Power Co. over radiation exposure in the wake of the nuclear accident at its Fukushima No. 1 power plant in northeastern Japan. In the su...
2013.01.09
And this week’s winner is… [Weekly Winners]
Frankie Albert won tickets for two for the Ryukyu Golden Kings’ basketball game in the year’s first Japan Update raffle. Frankie is originally from Baltimore, MD, but has called Ok...
