Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� July, 2004

Budding Reporters from Okinawa Pay Courtesy Call on the Prime Minister Wednesday, July 28, 2004 Click photographs to enlarge Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi received a courtesy call at the Prime Minister's Official Residence from 51 budding reporters from Okinawa. Selected from the pool of elementary and junior high school students in Okinawa Prefecture, the "Okinawan Budding Reporters" are promoting youth friendship exchanges, bonding Okinawa with the mainland through news gathering activities in various regions on the mainland. After Miss Yuri Oyadomari, a sixth grade student from Oroku Elementary School and Miss Kozue Irei, a second year student at Oroku Junior High School, both located in Naha City, gave a Ryukyu performance of "Kagiyade Fu Dance," Mr. Hiroki Murata, a first year student at Miyazato Junior High School in Naha City, said as a representative, "I would like to utilize the experience of being a budding reporter and apply it in my school and social life to better myself and become a respectable and reliable member of society. Prime Minister Koizumi, I hope that you succeed in your efforts for the people of Okinawa Prefecture, the development of new Japan and its people as well as for the world." In response, Prime Minister Koizumi said, "Although I am aware that Okinawa faces challenges from housing many U.S. bases, it has many attractive characteristics that we cannot find on the mainland." He further gave an explanation on the Government's measures to promote the Prefecture, such as the Okinawa Graduate School of Science and Technology currently under progress.