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Campaigning got under way Thursday for the Nov 26 Okinawa gubernatorial election, with the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps’ air base at Futenma the biggest issue.
Incumbent Gov Hirokazu Nakaim, 75, is running for a third four-year term. He is being challenged by former Naha Mayor Takeshi Onaga, 64, former upper house lawmaker Shokichi Kina, 66, and former state minister in charge of the privatization of postal services Mikio Shimoji, 53.
Nakaima has been facing growing criticism over his decision last December to approve the relocation of the Futenma base to the sparsely populated Nago area in return for a massive cash injection from Tokyo.
Although Onaga belongs to the ruling Liberal-Democratic Party, he has openly opposed Tokyo's plan to move the Futenma base to Nago. At least 10 LDP members in the Naha Municipal Assembly have said they will back Onaga.
Kina is also against relocating the base, while Shimoji favors holding a referendum on the issue.
© Japan Today
7 Comments
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Elbuda Mexicano
Here we go again!!!
True Okinawa
Nakaima all the way, because of his strong economic backing from the local and national level. Shimoji isonly running to pull votes from Nakaima to make it a tight race.
Droll Quarry
The results of this race are already in. The answer is in the brown envelope waiting under the table.
japan4life
Hopefully Onaga will win because Nakaima does not deserve a third term. It will be interesting to see who Komeito supports since the Local Chapter is on record opposing the Henoko Relocation Plan.
smithinjapan
It doesn't matter who gets it -- the base will be relocated according to the many, many promises.
edojin
It is being reported that Komeito is not forcing its Soka Gakkai members to vote for Nakaima, and without their support it's doubtful that he will win. But ... as their are three candidates who support no base expansion at Henoko for the relocation of Futenma, they might split the vote three ways, thus allowing a "weakened" Nakaima to slip in as the winner. But, as smithinjapan says above, it doesn't matter who wins 'cause the ruling government has said the Henoko base will be expanded no matter what.
It would be interesting to see what would happen if candidate Miko Shimoji wins. He has vowed to hold a special prefectural referendum to see if the residents want to expand the Henoko base or not. And if he wins, and a special referendum is held, and the residents vote against expansion and the moving of Futenma to Henoko ... this should make things even more interesting/exciting on the island.
japan4life
There has already been a referendum voted on by the people of Nago. The proposed relocation plan was rejected but the J-Govt. is still going with the plan. Shimoji is probably talking about an Island wide referendum but if the results are not what Tokyo wants they wont accept them. The big Mainland Japan construction companies were promised this project 20 years ago and brown envelopes have already changed hands and that is why the bureaucrats were not happy with Hatoyama`s attempts to change the plan.
The four choices before the 38,176 eligible voters of Nago on December 21 1997 and the breakdown of voting were as follows: "Referendum on the Construction of an Offshore Heliport in Nago" [1] I approve - 2,562 votes (8.13%) [2] I approve because I expect there to be economic benefits for the Nago region and that appropriate measures will be taken to protect the environment - 11,705 votes (37.18%) [3] I oppose - 16,254 (51.63%) [4] I oppose because I expect neither economic benefits for the region nor appropriate measures to be taken to protect the environment - 385 (1.22%) [*] Spilt ballots, no preference selected, etc - 571 (1.82%) Total No. of Votes - 31,477 (82.45% of all eligible voters)