Okinawa governor on his upcoming US visit, disputed military base
1,048 views · Published 14 November 2018 · 2:00 · Indexed 11 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(9 Nov 2018) The bicultural, newly elected governor of the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, Denny Tamaki, plans to visit the United States next week to share his position on a disputed military base in Okinawa. Tamaki took office 4 October after campaigning for a disputed US Marine air base to be moved off the island and for the American military presence on Okinawa to be reduced. The small island hosts about half of the 54,000 American troops stationed in Japan and accounts for 64 percent of the land used for US military bases At the centre of contention is relocating the US air base from densely populated Futenma in Okinawa to less-crowded Henoko on its east coast. Early construction has begun at Henoko, but it's far from finished. The US and Japan's central government support the relocation. During a news conference Friday, Tamaki said he hopes to speak directly with Americans about his position on the Okinawa base and he aims to "have a discussion about democracy". Tamaki, 59, is the first person with an American parent to lead Okinawa. At the end of the news conference, he also shared a message with everyone that "dreams come true!" Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/37bc1defaa7027715089dfe9e7aa3efa
