<p>An uninhabited island in Okinawa Prefecture of Japan was reportedly bought by a Chinese woman, whose identity was not revealed.&nbsp;Japan Times reported on Saturday (February 11) that the woman's claims were made on social media, which led to a stir online.&nbsp;According to the report, a few users highlighted that the move would be part of Beijing's attempt at "an expansion of Chinese territory".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The woman, who is believed to be in her 30s, said as quoted by Chinese media that a company run by her relative had bought Yanaha Island, which is located north of the Okinawa main island.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A Tokyo-based consulting firm owns part of the island. The firm reportedly specialises in Chinese businesses, public records showed.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.</strong></em></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tina Zhang (张), a 34-year-old 🇨🇳 woman from Qingdao, Shandong province, posted videos on Douyin of her hanging out on Yanaha Island (屋那霸岛) — the biggest uninhabited island in Okinawa — which she claimed she bought in 2020.<br />
<br />
Yanaha is just ~60km from 🇺🇸 Kadena Air Base.<br />
<br />
1/n <a href="https://t.co/tQffSFa08b">pic.twitter.com/tQffSFa08b</a></p>
— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Byron_Wan/status/1623299380693573632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🇯🇵🏝"Yanaha/屋那覇島" Island,the largest uninhabited island in Okinawa,has been bought by a Chinese woman entrepreneur in her 30s. Under a law in Japan,no one can enter a place without the consent of the land owner. Despite being a hot topic on the SNS in China,no news in Japan. <a href="https://t.co/CGDh0lnoqf">pic.twitter.com/CGDh0lnoqf</a></p>
— བོད་ᗰIYᑌ🎌💋🇺🇸🇬🇧🇮🇳🇦🇺🇧🇹🇲🇳🇹🇭☪️🇹🇼🇭🇰 (@TenzinMiyu) <a href="https://twitter.com/TenzinMiyu/status/1622430685368823809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Divulging further details, the office of Izena village in Okinawa said that the company owns about 50 per cent of the total land. Its beaches are mostly held by the local government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The woman posted a video on a social media forum in late January, where she can be seen showing her first visit to the island.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per Japan Times, an Izena Island resident had taken the Chinese woman and another woman on a trip to Yanaha Island by boat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The resident said they stayed there for several hours and took pictures and footage of the local scenery.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The online video showed a document addressed to the consulting firm, which claims on its website to have acquired Yanaha Island.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


An uninhabited island in Okinawa Prefecture of Japan was reportedly bought by a Chinese woman, whose identity was not revealed. Japan Times reported on Saturday (February 11) that the woman's claims were made on social media, which led to a stir online.

An uninhabited island in Okinawa Prefecture of Japan was reportedly bought by a Chinese woman, whose identity was not revealed. Japan Times reported on Saturday (February 11) that the woman's claims were made on social media, which led to a stir online. According to the report, a few users highlighted that the move would be part of Beijing's attempt at "an expansion of Chinese territory". The woman, who is believed to be in her 30s, said as quoted by Chinese media that a company run by her relative had bought Yanaha Island, which is located north of the Okinawa main island. A Tokyo-based consulting firm owns part of the island. The firm reportedly specialises in Chinese businesses, public records showed. Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. Tina Zhang (张), a 34-year-old 🇨🇳 woman from Qingdao, Shandong province, posted videos on Douyin of her hanging out on Yanaha Island (屋那霸岛) — the biggest uninhabited island in Okinawa — which she claimed she bought in 2020. Yanaha is just ~60km from 🇺🇸 Kadena Air Base. 1/n pic.twitter.com/tQffSFa08b — Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) February 8, 2023 × 🇯🇵🏝"Yanaha/屋那覇島" Island,the largest uninhabited island in Okinawa,has been bought by a Chinese woman entrepreneur in her 30s. Under a law in Japan,no one can enter a place without the consent of the land owner. Despite being a hot topic on the SNS in China,no news in Japan. pic.twitter.com/CGDh0lnoqf — བོད་ᗰIYᑌ🎌💋🇺🇸🇬🇧🇮🇳🇦🇺🇧🇹🇲🇳🇹🇭☪️🇹🇼🇭🇰 (@TenzinMiyu) February 6, 2023 × Divulging further details, the office of Izena village in Okinawa said that the company owns about 50 per cent of the total land. Its beaches are mostly held by the local government. The woman posted a video on a social media forum in late January, where she can be seen showing her first visit to the island. As per Japan Times, an Izena Island resident had taken the Chinese woman and another woman on a trip to Yanaha Island by boat. The resident said they stayed there for several hours and took pictures and footage of the local scenery. The online video showed a document addressed to the consulting firm, which claims on its website to have acquired Yanaha Island. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chinese woman ‘purchases’ uninhabited Okinawa island, triggers stir: Report

<p>More than 70 per cent of voters in Japan’s Okinawa islands objected in a referendum to the relocation of a US military base within the region, according to the results announced on Monday.</p>

<p>The referendum had been called the day before by the local government to consult the local population on the relocation of the US Navy's Futenma airbase, and its result once again highlights the majority rejecting the US military presence in Okinawa.</p>

<p>Despite the clear opposition to the transfer of the base, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that he will go ahead with the project, saying “we cannot delay this any further” in statements to the media.</p>

<p>The Futenma base is currently located in the urban centre of Ginowan, on the main island of Okinawa, and Japan and the US agreed in 1996 to move it to the more remote Henoko Bay after a series of incidents.</p>

<p>However, the relocation has been delayed due to opposition from residents and local politicians who argue that the project would have a high environmental impact and say that both this base and other US bases should be moved out of their territory.</p>

<p>In the referendum, 72.2 per cent of voters rejected the move while 19.1 per cent supported the plan amidst a 52.48 per cent turnout.</p>

<p>"This is the first time that opposition specifically to the plan… was clearly shown so it bears significant meaning," said Okinawa prefecture Governor Danny Tamaki, who called on the central government to consider the resolution of the people and “stop the relocation work," in statements to the local media.</p>

<p>The ordinance approved by the regional authorities stipulated that if the most-voted option obtained a quarter of the votes, the local government should communicate it to the Japanese leader and United States President Donald Trump.</p>

<p>However, because of the referendum’s symbolic and non-binding nature, Abe is unlikely to withdraw a plan around which the central and regional governments are engaged in long political and court battles.</p>

<p>"We have spent many years holding dialogue with people in the prefecture," Abe said on Tuesday, adding that he will continue his “utmost efforts towards a reduction of the burden" of the US military presence on the inhabitants of the subtropical archipelago.</p>

<p>Okinawan authorities took the case to several courts to try to overturn the project with legal arguments based on the base's environmental impact, but Japan's Supreme Court ruled in Tokyo's favour in 2016.</p>

<p>About one-fifth of Okinawa's main island is US military land.</p>

<p>The region is also home to more than half of the nearly 47,000 US military personnel in Japan and 74 per cent of its military installations in the country.</p>


More than 70 per cent of voters in Japan’s Okinawa islands objected in a referendum to the relocation of a US military base within the region, according to the results announced on Monday.

More than 70 per cent of voters in Japan’s Okinawa islands objected in a referendum to the relocation of a US military base within the region, according to the results announced on Monday. The referendum had been called the day before by the local government to consult the local population on the relocation of the US Navy's Futenma airbase, and its result once again highlights the majority rejecting the US military presence in Okinawa. Despite the clear opposition to the transfer of the base, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that he will go ahead with the project, saying “we cannot delay this any further” in statements to the media. The Futenma base is currently located in the urban centre of Ginowan, on the main island of Okinawa, and Japan and the US agreed in 1996 to move it to the more remote Henoko Bay after a series of incidents. However, the relocation has been delayed due to opposition from residents and local politicians who argue that the project would have a high environmental impact and say that both this base and other US bases should be moved out of their territory. In the referendum, 72.2 per cent of voters rejected the move while 19.1 per cent supported the plan amidst a 52.48 per cent turnout. "This is the first time that opposition specifically to the plan… was clearly shown so it bears significant meaning," said Okinawa prefecture Governor Danny Tamaki, who called on the central government to consider the resolution of the people and “stop the relocation work," in statements to the local media. The ordinance approved by the regional authorities stipulated that if the most-voted option obtained a quarter of the votes, the local government should communicate it to the Japanese leader and United States President Donald Trump. However, because of the referendum’s symbolic and non-binding nature, Abe is unlikely to withdraw a plan around which the central and regional governments are engaged in long political and court battles. "We have spent many years holding dialogue with people in the prefecture," Abe said on Tuesday, adding that he will continue his “utmost efforts towards a reduction of the burden" of the US military presence on the inhabitants of the subtropical archipelago. Okinawan authorities took the case to several courts to try to overturn the project with legal arguments based on the base's environmental impact, but Japan's Supreme Court ruled in Tokyo's favour in 2016. About one-fifth of Okinawa's main island is US military land. The region is also home to more than half of the nearly 47,000 US military personnel in Japan and 74 per cent of its military installations in the country.

Japan’s Okinawa rejects transfer of US military base in a referendum

<p>Voters on the Japanese island of Okinawa have rejected the relocation of a controversial US military base, according to exit polls from a non-binding referendum cited by local media Sunday.</p>

<p>It was not immediately clear whether sufficient numbers of opponents had turned out to meet the threshold required for Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki to "respect" the result of the symbolic referendum.</p>

<p>For this to happen, one-quarter of the eligible electorate -- or around 290,000 people -- had to vote for one of the three options, for or against relocation or a third choice of "neither."</p>

<p>In any case, the vote is non-binding on the central government and turnout appeared to be hovering around 50 per cent, raising questions about what effect the referendum will have.</p>

<p>The central government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to press on with moving the base and the relocation is also backed by Washington.</p>

<p>The ballot asked residents whether they supported a plan to reclaim land at a remote coastal site for the relocation of the Futenma base from its current location in a heavily populated part of Okinawa.</p>

<p>It was initially planned as a yes-no vote, but a "neither" option was added after several cities with close ties to the central government threatened to boycott the vote.</p>

<p>Polls opened early on Sunday morning, with about 1.15 million Okinawans eligible to vote.</p>

<p>Speaking after casting her ballot at a local school, voter Yuki Miyagaki said, "They are using a lot of tax money and manpower for this referendum, even though the result will not have any legal power. So we thought that we should take this opportunity and think very carefully about this issue."</p>

<p>"We usually shout no to the new base construction. This is a good opportunity to tell the government directly with concrete numbers, 'No'. This is an important vote," 32-year-old Narumi Haine told AFP.</p>

<p>Although the referendum is not legally binding, "it is significant that people in Okinawa can express their will through the vote," said Jun Shimabukuro, a professor at Ryukyu University in Okinawa.</p>

<p>"It can be a test to gauge if democracy is working in Japan," Shimabukuro told AFP before voting opened.</p>

<p>The relocation of Futenma to Nago, 50 kilometres (30 miles) away, was first agreed in 1996 as the US sought to calm local anger after US servicemen gang-raped a local schoolgirl.</p>

<p>But the plan has long been stalled in part over local opposition.</p>

<p><strong>'Making a fool of Okinawa'</strong></p>

<p>The base has stoked tension with local residents over problems ranging from noise and military accidents to a crime involving base residents.</p>

<p>Abe's government says the relocation will address those concerns, but many in Okinawa want the base relocated elsewhere in Japan.</p>

<p>They argue that the region bears a disproportionate burden when it comes to hosting US military troops in the country.</p>

<p>Okinawa accounts for less than one per cent of Japan's total land area but hosts more than half of the approximately 47,000 American military personnel stationed in Japan.</p>

<p>Anti-base rallies have been staged daily in Okinawa since campaigning for the referendum began in mid-February.</p>

<p>But the vote has not stopped reclamation work at Nago, with construction workers continuing to shovel dirt into the ocean offshore with bulldozers.</p>

<p>"We hope the referendum will boost the momentum of our fight," demonstrator Masaru Shiroma told AFP on Friday, as more than 100 fellow activists tried to block trucks entering the construction site.</p>

<p>"The government is making a fool out of Okinawa."</p>

<p><strong>'Precious votes'</strong></p>

<p>Official results may not come until midnight.</p>

<p>An opinion poll by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper this week found 80 per cent of respondents want Abe's government to respect the results.</p>

<p>But there has been little sign the administration will shift course if the vote goes against the move, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga saying there were no plans to halt the relocation regardless of the outcome.</p>

<p>Japan's military alliance with the United States is seen as a key partnership, and Okinawa's location near Taiwan has long been viewed as having huge strategic importance for US forward positioning in Asia.</p>


Voters on the Japanese island of Okinawa have rejected the relocation of a controversial US military base, according to exit polls from a non-binding referendum cited by local media Sunday.

Voters on the Japanese island of Okinawa have rejected the relocation of a controversial US military base, according to exit polls from a non-binding referendum cited by local media Sunday. It was not immediately clear whether sufficient numbers of opponents had turned out to meet the threshold required for Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki to "respect" the result of the symbolic referendum. For this to happen, one-quarter of the eligible electorate -- or around 290,000 people -- had to vote for one of the three options, for or against relocation or a third choice of "neither." In any case, the vote is non-binding on the central government and turnout appeared to be hovering around 50 per cent, raising questions about what effect the referendum will have. The central government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to press on with moving the base and the relocation is also backed by Washington. The ballot asked residents whether they supported a plan to reclaim land at a remote coastal site for the relocation of the Futenma base from its current location in a heavily populated part of Okinawa. It was initially planned as a yes-no vote, but a "neither" option was added after several cities with close ties to the central government threatened to boycott the vote. Polls opened early on Sunday morning, with about 1.15 million Okinawans eligible to vote. Speaking after casting her ballot at a local school, voter Yuki Miyagaki said, "They are using a lot of tax money and manpower for this referendum, even though the result will not have any legal power. So we thought that we should take this opportunity and think very carefully about this issue." "We usually shout no to the new base construction. This is a good opportunity to tell the government directly with concrete numbers, 'No'. This is an important vote," 32-year-old Narumi Haine told AFP. Although the referendum is not legally binding, "it is significant that people in Okinawa can express their will through the vote," said Jun Shimabukuro, a professor at Ryukyu University in Okinawa. "It can be a test to gauge if democracy is working in Japan," Shimabukuro told AFP before voting opened. The relocation of Futenma to Nago, 50 kilometres (30 miles) away, was first agreed in 1996 as the US sought to calm local anger after US servicemen gang-raped a local schoolgirl. But the plan has long been stalled in part over local opposition. 'Making a fool of Okinawa' The base has stoked tension with local residents over problems ranging from noise and military accidents to a crime involving base residents. Abe's government says the relocation will address those concerns, but many in Okinawa want the base relocated elsewhere in Japan. They argue that the region bears a disproportionate burden when it comes to hosting US military troops in the country. Okinawa accounts for less than one per cent of Japan's total land area but hosts more than half of the approximately 47,000 American military personnel stationed in Japan. Anti-base rallies have been staged daily in Okinawa since campaigning for the referendum began in mid-February. But the vote has not stopped reclamation work at Nago, with construction workers continuing to shovel dirt into the ocean offshore with bulldozers. "We hope the referendum will boost the momentum of our fight," demonstrator Masaru Shiroma told AFP on Friday, as more than 100 fellow activists tried to block trucks entering the construction site. "The government is making a fool out of Okinawa." 'Precious votes' Official results may not come until midnight. An opinion poll by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper this week found 80 per cent of respondents want Abe's government to respect the results. But there has been little sign the administration will shift course if the vote goes against the move, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga saying there were no plans to halt the relocation regardless of the outcome. Japan's military alliance with the United States is seen as a key partnership, and Okinawa's location near Taiwan has long been viewed as having huge strategic importance for US forward positioning in Asia.

Japan's Okinawa 'votes against' controversial US base move: Exit polls

<div style="text-align: justify;">Thousands of people gathered on the Japanese island of Okinawa today&nbsp;in one of the biggest demonstrations in two decades against US&nbsp;military bases following the arrest of an American suspected of murdering a local woman.<br />
&nbsp;</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">The protest marks a new low for the United States and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in their relations with the island and threatens to have the US&nbsp;Marines Futenma air station moved to a less populous part of the island.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
The United States and Japan agreed in 1996 to close the Futenma site, located in a residential urban area, after the rape of a 12-year-old Japanese schoolgirl by three US&nbsp;military personnel spurred mass demonstrations against the American presence.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
The&nbsp;plan has been on hold since residents living near the proposed relocation site protested against the move, worried about noise, pollution and crime.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Okinawa assembly members opposed to the move won a majority in the prefectural assembly election this month, providing renewed support for Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga&#39;s plan to have the base move elsewhere.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Okinawa hosts 50,000 US&nbsp;nationals, including 30,000 military personnel and civilians employed at US&nbsp;bases.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
The site of some of the bloodiest fighting between US&nbsp;and Japanese forces in World War Two, Okinawa remained under American occupation until 1972 and around a fifth of its land is still under US&nbsp;military control.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Yet, with the United States and Japan looking to contain China&#39;s growing might in the East China Sea, the Okinawan island chain, which stretches close to Taiwan, is becoming strategically more valuable to military planners.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Japan&#39;s Self Defence Force, which is pivoting away from defending its northern borders from a diminished Russian threat, is fortifying the region with radar bases and anti-ship missile batteries.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Last month&#39;s arrest of the 32-year-old American&nbsp;civilian working at a US&nbsp;base on the island prompted the US&nbsp;military to announce a 30-day period of mourning for the victim and restrict off-base drinking on the island in a bid to assuage local anger.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Relations were further frayed by the subsequent arrest of a US&nbsp;sailor on Okinawa on suspicion of drunk driving following a car crash.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
(Reuters)</div>


The protest against American presence threatens plans to move the US?Marines Futenma air station to a less populous part of the island

Thousands of people gathered on the Japanese island of Okinawa today in one of the biggest demonstrations in two decades against US military bases following the arrest of an American suspected of murdering a local woman. The protest marks a new low for the United States and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in their relations with the island and threatens to have the US Marines Futenma air station moved to a less populous part of the island. The United States and Japan agreed in 1996 to close the Futenma site, located in a residential urban area, after the rape of a 12-year-old Japanese schoolgirl by three US military personnel spurred mass demonstrations against the American presence. The plan has been on hold since residents living near the proposed relocation site protested against the move, worried about noise, pollution and crime. Okinawa assembly members opposed to the move won a majority in the prefectural assembly election this month, providing renewed support for Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga's plan to have the base move elsewhere. Okinawa hosts 50,000 US nationals, including 30,000 military personnel and civilians employed at US bases. The site of some of the bloodiest fighting between US and Japanese forces in World War Two, Okinawa remained under American occupation until 1972 and around a fifth of its land is still under US military control. Yet, with the United States and Japan looking to contain China's growing might in the East China Sea, the Okinawan island chain, which stretches close to Taiwan, is becoming strategically more valuable to military planners. Japan's Self Defence Force, which is pivoting away from defending its northern borders from a diminished Russian threat, is fortifying the region with radar bases and anti-ship missile batteries. Last month's arrest of the 32-year-old American civilian working at a US base on the island prompted the US military to announce a 30-day period of mourning for the victim and restrict off-base drinking on the island in a bid to assuage local anger. Relations were further frayed by the subsequent arrest of a US sailor on Okinawa on suspicion of drunk driving following a car crash. (Reuters)

Thousands protest against US military base on Japan's Okinawa island

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Chinese woman ‘purchases’ uninhabited Okinawa island, triggers stir: Report

Japan’s Okinawa rejects transfer of US military base in a referendum

Japan's Okinawa 'votes against' controversial US base move: Exit polls

Thousands protest against US military base on Japan's Okinawa island