Governor Denny Tamaki
February 22, 2021 Ryukyu Shimpo
On February 21, Governor Denny Tamaki visited the planned mining site in Komesu, Itoman within the Okinawa Senseki (battle site) Quasi-National Park. Governor Tamaki himself told the Ryukyu Shimpo of this visit.
According to Governor Tamaki, on the morning of February 21, he visited the site with staff from relevant departments. The mining company submitted a notice of development in Itoman pursuant to the Natural Parks Act last year.
The municipal government of Itoman City sent the notice to the prefectural government together with a letter of opinion, and the prefectural government is presently reviewing the notice to decide whether to accept it.
In light of the design changes for the new base construction in Henoko, Nago as part of the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, the Okinawa Defense Bureau expanded the soil mining sites to include one in the southern part of Okinawa Island, where the remains of people who died in the Battle of Okinawa are still located. This plan has drawn criticism from those involved in collection of such remains.
(English translation by T&CT and Sandi Aritza)
