Ryūkyū Shimpō
Encyclopedia
The was the first Okinawan
newspaper. It was founded in 1893 by Shō Jun
, a former prince of the Ryūkyū Kingdom
, and is still in publication today.
Historian George H. Kerr
says of the newspaper, upon its founding, that it "strengthened leadership and promoted the development of informed opinion on matters of public concern". It has also been described as speaking for the former ruling class of the kingdom. Editor-in-chief Ōta Chōfu
, along with others from the newspaper, played a role in the Kōdō-kai Movement, arguing for leadership of the prefecture to remain hereditary within the Shō family, and opposing the Freedom and People's Rights Movement
led in Okinawa by, among others, Jahana Noboru
.
The Ryūkyū Shimpō company involved itself in development and modernization efforts in the island prefecture, spurring agricultural production and innovation by hosting competitions and exhibitions, and arranged in 1915 for the first demonstration of an airplane in Okinawa.
Originally published every other day, it became a daily newspaper in 1906. During World War II
, as the result of the national government's Newspaper Unification Policy, the paper was combined with the Okinawa Asahi and Okinawa Daily News (Okinawa Nippō) into the Okinawa Shimpō, and did not resume publication under the name "Ryūkyū Shimpō" until after the end of the war.
Today, it has the largest print-run of newspapers in Okinawa with both morning and evening editions, and the newspaper company is connected to a number of other businesses, including Ryūkyū Shimpō Shipping, Ryūkyū Shimpō Development, and
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
newspaper. It was founded in 1893 by Shō Jun
Sho Jun (1873-1945)
' was a prince of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, the fourth son of King Shō Tai, the last king of the kingdom. He played a major role in founding many 20th century institutions in Okinawa, including the Ryūkyū Shimpō newspaper, the Bank of Okinawa, the Taishō Gekijō theater, and a canning factory, and was a...
, a former prince of the Ryūkyū Kingdom
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryūkyū Kingdom was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Kings of Ryūkyū unified Okinawa Island and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands in modern-day Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Sakishima Islands near Taiwan...
, and is still in publication today.
Historian George H. Kerr
George H. Kerr
George H. Kerr , also known in Taiwan as 葛超智 , was a United States diplomat during World War II, and in later years he was an author and an academic...
says of the newspaper, upon its founding, that it "strengthened leadership and promoted the development of informed opinion on matters of public concern". It has also been described as speaking for the former ruling class of the kingdom. Editor-in-chief Ōta Chōfu
Ōta Chōfu
was a prominent Ryukyuan journalist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, famous for his involvement in the Kōdō-kai Movement, advocating the maintenance of hereditary rule of Okinawa under the heirs to the royal family of Ryūkyū.- Life and career :...
, along with others from the newspaper, played a role in the Kōdō-kai Movement, arguing for leadership of the prefecture to remain hereditary within the Shō family, and opposing the Freedom and People's Rights Movement
Freedom and People's Rights Movement
The was a Japanese political and social movement for democracy in 1880s....
led in Okinawa by, among others, Jahana Noboru
Jahana Noboru
was an official in the government of Japan's Okinawa Prefecture, and an Okinawan rights activist, in connection with the .-Life and career:Jahana Noboru was born in 1865 into a farming family in Kochinda magiri on Okinawa...
.
The Ryūkyū Shimpō company involved itself in development and modernization efforts in the island prefecture, spurring agricultural production and innovation by hosting competitions and exhibitions, and arranged in 1915 for the first demonstration of an airplane in Okinawa.
Originally published every other day, it became a daily newspaper in 1906. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as the result of the national government's Newspaper Unification Policy, the paper was combined with the Okinawa Asahi and Okinawa Daily News (Okinawa Nippō) into the Okinawa Shimpō, and did not resume publication under the name "Ryūkyū Shimpō" until after the end of the war.
Today, it has the largest print-run of newspapers in Okinawa with both morning and evening editions, and the newspaper company is connected to a number of other businesses, including Ryūkyū Shimpō Shipping, Ryūkyū Shimpō Development, and