Kurashi - News From Japan

From our friends at US for Okinawa, revealing findings and photos from Naha, Ginowan City, Henoko and Takae, Okinawa: DAY 1: Up at 03:30 AM and off to Okinawa to experience what is really happening with our own eyes. There has been a lot of news recently dealing with the Futenma Air Base issue and what should/will be done in Okinawa regarding its relocation or closure. We are here to learn as much as possible while visiting the island, through interviewing locals and talking with those on the front lines, in order to make our own opinions on the subject. Immediately upon arrival we noticed that Naha wasn't your typical airport. Self-defense and U.S. military planes line the runway while fighter jets screamed overhead and men with military backpacks wait in the airport for their flights. We tried to keep a tally of the number of military aircrafts that we heard; 6 helicopters and 4 jets in the first hour that we were there...we lost count half-way into the third hour. Emilie notic...

Beautiful slideshow from Tokunoshima Island with music by Rimi Natsukawa: Shima No Uta (Island Song). This is a small island in the south part of Kagoshima prefecture, as near to Okinawa as you can get. Calling this a "relocation" from Okinawa is a joke. A rude, cruel joke. Contrast that with the amazing scenery, the lovely sea, the beaches and the wildlife and biodiversity - and the people. This is another island in Asia that does not need US military helicopters or Marines. Asahi: Tokunoshima eyed for U.S. helicopters More than 4,000 people attended a rally on Tokunoshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture on Sunday to protest its possible use as a relocation site for some of the functions of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. Sources said Tokunoshima was mentioned by Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa in their respective discussions Friday with U.S. and Okinawa prefectural government officials in wh...

It’s back!! Spring Love (Harukaze) is making its second run in Yoyogi Park on April 3rd and 4th, promising a weekend extravaganza of top-rated musical and dance performances, film screenings, organic food and goods stalls, and talk sessions featuring peace-related social action. Come out and enjoy the cherry blossoms while feeding your mind and soul with some Spring Love!! Date/Time: Saturday, April 3rd (1-8 PM) and Sunday, April 4th (12-7:30 PM) Venue: Yoyogi Park Outdoor Stage Admission: Free!! Event will feature: ■ Performances from numerous musicians and dancers representing a variety of artistic genres ■ Peace-related talk sessions, films, and exhibitions ■ Events on two separate stages (Spring Stage and Love Stage) ■ Booths with literature from peace-related NPOs/NGOs ■ Spring Love Market with sales of various eco-friendly goods ■ Spring Love Kitchen featuring stalls with organic/ethnic foods ■ Live painting ■ Kids’ activities Peace program: Saturday, April 3rd 2:30-3:25 PM: Mili...

Do watch this video. It starts with the news report from Okinawa, that a pair of dugong have been filmed in June 2007, a rare event. "They came back," Cocco says, with joy. A rare event. Then, do listen to her - Cocco, a singer born in Okinawa. Cocco English website Her speech at the Makuhari Messe, event (part of the global Live Earth concert) is so moving. She cannot hold back her tears. Can you? For Jean and Ten Thousand Things Please take the time out of your busy schedule - listen to Cocco's song . 389 965 views on Youtube. I'm a woman from Okinawa, Japan, so let me tell you a bit about story of Okinawa. The sea of Okinawa, it still looks beautiful. The sea overlooked from the hill called "the hill of Dugong" named by people who never saw the dugongs, still looks very beautiful... The hill of Dugongs 「ジュゴンの見える丘」 Dugong no mieru oka

Uruma residents raise their fists during a rally Thursday night (March 25, 2010) against the relocation of US Air Station Futenma to an offshore area of the city. (Photo: Mainichi) The Mainichi reported that residents of Uruma rallied Thursday against the proposal to build an American military base on an artificial island on their beach: Mainichi: Okinawa residents hold rally against Futenma relocation Residents of this Okinawa Prefecture city have held a rally to express their opposition to a government plan to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to an offshore area of the city. More than 500 people attended the rally held at a hall in Uruma on Thursday night. The gathering was organized by a liaison council of citizens opposing the relocation that was formed by former prefectural assembly members and others... Mitsue Tomiyama, co-leader of the council, expressed anger at the relocation plan. "How far will the government ridicule local residents?" The rally attend...

A lot of Japanese foods include soy as a main ingredient, including tofu, natto, and miso. Noone here wants genetically modified foods in Japan. There is no commercial farming of GMOs and a lot of resistance, with GMO-free zones appearing. The labelling laws are not perfect, so, how do you know if the beans are genetically modified? 北海道産　(Hokkaido san) 大豆 (Daisu) Soybeans made in Hokkaido If the soy is from Hokkaido, you can be sure that it is not GMO. In fact, a lot of Japanese food companies are carefully sourcing soy beans from Hokkaido (where no GMO soy is grown) and also from certified farms in North America, where some truly wonderful farmers are resisting the Monsanto driven GMO style farm policy. Certified organic farms - of course - do not use GMO soy. Actually, the number of farmers buying seeds from Monsanto are decreasing. Companies like Honda have special silos in the US where they only accept non-GMO soy, for export to Japan: "There is a Honda way to make cars, a...

Having small kids in a big city like Tokyo must be difficult, with so little "real" nature where they can play and enjoy wild things. I can't imagine how parents manage... Yesterday I had the great fortune to visit KEEP in Kiyosato, Yamanashi prefecture. It is just a couple of hours on the train from Shinjuku and there are places to stay. What's so great about KEEP, and why should you bring your kids? I hope these photos from the center give some ideas. There are also wide grounds with forests, fields and a fantastic view of the Yatsugatake mountains, part of the southern Alps in Nagano. The KEEP lodges can be rented by families or groups. Most of the exhibits have brief English texts and explanations, and the rangers are really helpful. KEEP also has a popular Forest Kindergarten where the kids spend a lot of time outdoors. KEEP is located at the Yatsugatake Nature Center with interactive exhibits about the flora and fauna of the Yatsugatake Highlands, the local c...