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Pick Up Stories
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
Okinawa marks 52nd anniversary of revers… [Politics]
May 15th marked the 52nd anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to the Japanese administration in 1972. According to published figures, the Japa...Read More
Governor names replacement for disgraced vice governor Mitsuo Ageda [Politics]
Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga picked up Friday a successor to Vice Governor Mitsuo Ageda, who resigned last month over a scandal, in which he was accused of pressing the Prefectur...
Matsumoto wins second term as Urasoe mayor [Politics]
Tetsuji Matsumoto, the incumbent Urasoe mayor won a second term in the office in the Urasoe mayoral election held Sunday. 49-year-old Masumoto ran as an independent but was backed ...
2017.02.13
646-Well puts U.S. Naval Hospital on patients’ fingertips [Military]
By Joe Andes, USNHO, PAO U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa has made contacting the hospital easy. Patients can now call 646-WELL (646-9355) for direct access to the various clinics and d...
Number of foreign workers in Okinawa reaches 5,971 [Business]
Okinawa Labor Bureau announced Thursday that the number of foreign workers in Okinawa Prefecture has risen to 5,971, as of the end of October 2016, an increase of 21.9% or 1,073 fr...
Ishigaki-Hong Kong flights to increase to 5 per week [Business]
Okinawa Vice-governor Tadaaki Urasaki, visiting Hong Kong to expand sales and promotion channels to attract more tourists to Okinawa stopped by Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Express an...
Price of accommodation in Okinawa exceeds Hawaii [Business]
According to Expedia, the world’s largest Internet travel agent, the average unit price of accommodation in Okinawa in 2016 has increased to the level that now exceeds the average ...
Kings Drop Two Games Away at Yokosuka [Ryukyu Golden Kings]
Last weekend at Yokosuka Arena in Kanagawa Prefecture, The Golden Kings were swiped by the Kawasaki Brave Thunders, leaders of the Central Conference and last seasons’ NBL champs. ...
Closed or suspended companies increasing in Okinawa [Business]
Tokyo Shoko Research published Wednesday it’s survey on the number of companies that closed or suspended activities in 2016. According to the survey, 309 companies had closed or su...
Average rent drops in Okinawa cities [Business]
Okigin Economic Research Institute, a research arm affiliated with Okinawa Bank, announced Friday results of a survey on rents in Okinawa municipalities in 2016. According to the s...
Pro baseball teams start spring training camps [Sports]
Many Japanese professional baseball teams started their annual spring training camps in Okinawa Wednesday. On Okinawa’s main island, Hanshin Tigers conduct their training at Ginoza...
Motobu & Hirara Ports picked as base ports for cruise ships [Business]
The Land, Infrastructure and Transportation Ministry announced Tuesday that a committee comprised of international cruise ship companies and concerned municipalities have selected ...
Okinawa unemployment rate record low at 4.4% [Business]
Okinawa Prefecture officials announced Tuesday that the unemployment rate in the prefecture in 2016 was down to 4.4%, the first time in 13 years that the figure has dropped below 5...
2017.02.01
Kings split weekend home games against Niigata Albirex BB [Ryukyu Golden Kings]
Golden Kings encountered Niigata Albirex BB in a paid of home games over the weekend. Albirex BB is in the 3rd place of the B. League Central Conference, and the weekend contests e...
Woman’s body found after house fire in Kubota [News]
A passer-by placed an emergency call to Okinawa Fire Department reporting smoke and fire in a private house in Kubota, Okinawa City, Friday afternoon. The fire department dispatche...
Designated driver service to start on U.S. Bases [News]
A designated driver service, commonly known as “Daiko” service will expand to on bases, effective February 1. According Japan Driving Service Association (JDA), Okinawa Branch, whi...
Okinawa preparing for more Thai tourists [Business]
Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau (OCVB) is now taking steps to strengthen its ability to welcome more tourists from Thailand, as their numbers are expected to increase with...
2017.01.25
Golden Kings lose both weekend matches to Toyama [Ryukyu Golden Kings]
Toyama Grouses, currently the lowest ranking team in the Central Conference, showed that the still can muster what it takes as they made a clean sweep in a pair of weekend road gam...
2017.01.24
Fashion Candy introduces new confectionary brand [Business]
Fashion Candy, one of Okinawa’s best-known confectionary makers, especially for its “chinsuko” cookies, introduced Monday a new brand “Makukuru.” According to Fashion Candy, the ne...
7-Eleven plans to open 200 stores in Okinawa [Business]
7-Eleven Japan, the largest convenience store chain in the nation, is scheduled to expand their business to Okinawa, the only prefecture the chain is not present. According to the ...
Police calls for proper use of emergency number [News]
January 10th was the “Day of 110” and 110 is the number of reserved for emergency calls in all of Japan. According to Okinawa Police Communications Command Division, Okinawa Police...
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