PRESS CONFERENCE
What's Next for Okinawa?
Denny Tamaki, Former Governor of Okinawa
13:00-14:00 Friday, November 27, 2026
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.
When Denny Tamaki was elected governor of Okinawa in 2018, he immediately held a referendum on the planned relocation of the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the fishing village of Henoko that saw more than 70 percent of Okinawa’s residents vote against the project.
That set the tone for Tamaki, who spent the rest of his tenure fighting the large U.S. military presence. When the Supreme Court ruled against him and the national leadership in Tokyo told him to stop blocking the relocation project, he took his case to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. In September, Tamaki's battle with Tokyo seemed to end when he lost the gubernatorial election to LDP-backed newcomer Genta Koja, who supports the move to Henoko in exchange for more economic subsidies.
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan will host a press conference by Tamaki, who will discuss what the election will mean for the U.S. military presence, what he expects from the more conservative governor and how the antibase movement will respond. Please join us for an insightful discussion on the future of Okinawa.
How to attend:
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.
Livestream: A URL link will be provided to Club members. Please inform us in advance at front@fccj.or.jp so we can send you the link.
How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/2Pa4fK8Po4SMAPxa7
TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event.
Professional Activities Committee