Okinawa islanders conflicted over tourism amid virus pandemic
As more people in Tokyo and elsewhere were beginning to hole up at home during the coronavirus pandemic, others were venturing out to visit islands in Okinawa Prefecture. People on the resort island of Miyako as well as others in the Yaeyama archipelago, which had ...
Okinawa residents live in fear of stray munitions from U.S. practice range
The proximity of Okinawa Prefecture's Igei Ward in the town of Kin to a U.S. Marine Corps live shooting range puts residents at constant risk of stray bullets and other munitions landing on private property, ripping through roofs or even injuring civilians. In the latest ...
Shuri Castle fire threatens Okinawa's tourism and traditional crafts industries
A predawn fire that destroyed much of Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, has shocked the local tourism industry and associations of traditional Ryukyu Kingdom crafts, raising alarm about the loss of the historic attraction and potential harm to the prefecture's ability to promote ...
Okinawan pig farmers beef about U.S.-Japan trade deal while restaurants fire up grills
With Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump having reached a final agreement on Sept. 26 to conclude a trade pact to lower tariffs on American beef and pork, Okinawa Prefecture's livestock industry has been increasingly concerned about competition intensifying when the ...
Lose your wallet or cash in Okinawa? It's more than likely you'll get them back, police data shows
Lost wallets or hard cash reported to the Okinawa Prefectural Police last year had a higher chance of being returned than in the preceding four years, earning praise from foreign tourists who got their money back. The police said that ¥203.7 million in lost cash ...
Sankei Shimbun retracts unverified story of rescue by U.S. Marine in Okinawa
The Sankei Shimbun has retracted a story it published last year about a U.S. Marine saving a person involved in a car crash in Okinawa, saying in its Thursday edition that it could not confirm that the events took place. The national daily apologized to ...
A group of labor unions for media in Okinawa Prefecture issued a statement of protest after two local newspaper reporters were forcibly removed by riot police while covering protests last week near a helipad construction site in a U.S. military training area. The act is ...
