Denny Tamaki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Denny Tamaki
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玉城 デニー
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Official portrait
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| Governor of Okinawa Prefecture | |
| Assumed office 4 October 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Takeshi Onaga Kiichiro Jahana (interim) Moritake Tomikawa (interim) |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 30 August 2009 – 13 September 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Chiken Kakazu |
| Succeeded by | Tomohiro Yara |
| Constituency | Okinawa 3rd (2009–2012; 2014–2018) Kyushu PR (2012–2014) |
| Member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly | |
| In office 28 September 2002 – August 2005 |
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| Constituency | Okinawa City |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Dennis Tamaki
13 October 1959 Yonashiro, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands |
| Political party | Independent (2002–2005; 2018–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Alma mater | Sophia School of Social Welfare |
| Website | Official website: http://www.d21tamaki.com/ |
Denny Tamaki (玉城 デニー, Tamaki Denī, born 13 October 1959) is a Japanese politician. He has been the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture since 2018. A governor is like the leader of a state or prefecture.
Tamaki was also a member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly for Okinawa City from 2002 to 2005. He made history as the first Amerasian person to join the Japanese House of Representatives. This is a part of Japan's national parliament. He represented Okinawa Prefecture's 3rd district from 2009 to 2012 and again from 2014 to 2018.
Tamaki became governor as an independent candidate in the 2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election. This election happened after the previous governor, Takeshi Onaga, passed away. Tamaki was re-elected for another term in 2022.
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Early Life and Background
Dennis Tamaki (玉城 デニス, Tamaki Denisu) was born on October 13, 1959. His birthplace was Yonashiro (now part of Uruma), Okinawa. At that time, Okinawa was under American control.
His mother was from Okinawa, and his father was an American Marine. His father left Okinawa before Denny was born. When he was 10, Tamaki changed his legal name to Yasuhiro Tamaki (玉城 康裕, Tamaki Yasuhiro). Denny was a nickname he had since he was a child.
Tamaki never met his father. His mother raised him by herself. He has said that his own background helps him understand Okinawa's unique situation. Okinawa has many United States military bases.
Before entering politics, Tamaki moved to Tokyo for trade school. After returning to Okinawa, he worked for several years as a radio disc jockey.
Political Journey
Tamaki started his political career as a member of the Okinawa City Council. He served there from 2002 to 2005.
Joining the National Parliament
In 2005, he ran for a seat in the House of Representatives, which is part of Japan's national parliament called the Diet. He lost that election. However, he ran again in 2009 and won the seat for the 3rd district of Okinawa.
After joining the Diet, Tamaki worked on important committees. He was part of the committee for National Security. He also directed a special committee focused on Okinawa and other northern territories.
In 2012, Tamaki disagreed with a plan to raise the consumption tax. This led to him leaving the Democratic Party of Japan. He lost his seat in the 2012 election but kept a different type of seat. He regained his original seat in the 2014 election with a large lead.
Becoming Governor of Okinawa
In August 2018, the Governor of Okinawa, Takeshi Onaga, passed away. Before his death, he suggested Tamaki as a possible successor. Tamaki then ran in the 2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election. He won with 55% of the votes.
He defeated Atsushi Sakima, a candidate supported by the Liberal Democratic Party. This election gained national attention. Many important political figures traveled to Okinawa to support Sakima.
On September 11, 2022, Tamaki was re-elected as governor. He won another four-year term, defeating Sakima for a second time.
Key Views and Actions
Denny Tamaki has often spoken about the U.S. military presence on Okinawa. He believes there should be fewer American troops there. In 2009, he said that Okinawa should become less dependent on the military bases for its economy.
Military Base Relocation
A major part of his 2018 election campaign was his opposition to moving the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to another location on Okinawa. He believes the base should be moved off the island entirely. This view was important to many voters in the 2018 election.
Other Issues
In June 2019, Tamaki made a comment about Chinese patrols near the Senkaku islands. These islands are part of Okinawa Prefecture. His comment was misunderstood by some, and he later clarified his statement. He confirmed that he believes the islands are Japanese territory.
In 2020, there was a COVID-19 outbreak at U.S. military bases in Okinawa. Tamaki criticized the American military's handling of the situation. He expressed concern about the bases' ability to prevent the virus from spreading. He pointed to military parties held off-base as possible sources of the outbreak.
Personal Life
Denny Tamaki is married and has two sons and two daughters. He enjoys music and is a singer and guitarist. He has even written songs for the Rinken Band.
See also
In Spanish: Denny Tamaki para niños
