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NAHA, OKINAWA PREF. – Elections began Sunday in Okinawa's governorship elections, with a controversial move to relocate a key military base in the United States in the southern island's prefecture.
Atsushi Sakima, former 54-year-old mayor of Ginowan backed by ruling parties, and former 58-year-old opposition MP Denny Tamaki, are the main candidates for the post left vacant by Takeshi Onaga , who died of pancreatic cancer in early August. a resolute opponent of the resettlement plan.
The result of the race could affect the course of the transfer project from the United States Marine Corps Air Base in Futenma from an overcrowded residential area of Ginowan to the less populated Henoko coastal district of Nago.
Sakima received strong support from the Liberal Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who advocated the transfer of the base. Komeito, the coalition partner of the LDP, and the opposition party, Japan's opposition party, are also supporting it.
Tamaki, a former radio personality who was a member of the House of Representatives of the Liberal Party, pointed out that he had been appointed by Onaga as his successor. He is supported by four other opposition parties and a parliamentary group.
Both candidates emphasized the importance of the rapid closure of the Futenma base, which would be a danger to nearby residents, and the return of its site to Japan.
With regard to the construction of a replacement facility in Nago, they adopt different approaches.
Tamaki has declared his opposition to the relocation of the base in the coastal area of Nago. Sakima has not clarified his position on this issue during the campaign, apparently taking into account that the majority of locals hope that the base will be relocated outside of Okinawa.
Hatsumi Toguchi, former assembly member of 83-year-old Naha City and local cuisine expert, and 40-year-old Shun Kaneshima, former employee of an Internet technology company who runs a restaurant .
Following the instructions given by Onaga in July, the prefectural government withdrew its agreement for the landfill required for the move in October after its death, citing the illegality of the application process and the cessation of construction work by the government. the Ministry of Defense.
According to local political sources, Onaga recorded a voice message shortly before his death, designating Tamaki and the local businessman, Morimasa Goya, as possible successors, but the message was not made public. After that, Tamaki decided to stand for election, while Goya expressed his support for Tamaki.
At the same time, the Ginowan mayoral vote also began Sunday to designate a successor to Sakima. The former deputy mayor of Ginowan, Masanori Matsugawa, 65 years old, and the company leader, Harumasa Nakanishi, 57 years old and former leader of a union of parent associations teachers from Okinawa High School, are candidates.
In a situation similar to the race of governors, Nakanishi, exploited by local members of the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, expressed his opposition to the plan to relocate the base in Okinawa. Matsugawa, backed by the LDP-led coalition, has not clarified his position.
Earlier in September, the election of the assembly of the city of Nago had taken place, during which candidates opposed to the resettlement plan of the base had obtained the majority.
The relocation of Futenma, agreed for the first time between Japan and the United States in 1996, was a sensitive issue in Okinawa. The prefecture of the island, which was under United States control between 1945 and 1972 following the defeat of Japan during the Second World War, is home to most of the US military installations in Japan.
