Incumbent doesn't say ‘No!' to base relocation within Okinawa

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Incumbent doesn't say ‘No!' to base relocation within Okinawa

In the November 28 Okinawa gubernatorial election, the point in question is the candidates' position on the U.S. Futenma base relocation issue. Candidate Iha Yoichi, backed by the Japanese Communist, Social Democratic, and Okinawa Social Mass parties, firmly stands against the base relocation. Then, what about incumbent candidate Nakaima Hirokazu, a firm advocate of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty?

The "Okinawa 21^st Century Vision" the prefectural government led by Nakaima issued in March calls on the national government to "steadily fulfill its responsibility for carrying out without delay" the construction of a U.S. base within the prefecture based on the1996 Japan-U.S. agreement of the Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO).

Nakaima basically takes a position accepting the relocation of the Futenma base within Okinawa. In January 2006 right before he took office, he urged then Governor Inamine Keiichi, also supporting the new base construction, "not to cause trouble with the central government over the base issue." During the previous gubernatorial election campaign, on October 31, 2006, Nakaima said, "I'll make a compromise with the state at just the right time."

In September this year, he suddenly began calling for the base to be moved outside Okinawa. However, he is leaving room for negotiations with the Japanese and the U.S. governments to pressure Okinawa to accept a new U.S. base construction at Henoko in Nago City.

Furthermore, attempting to divide Okinawans, Nakaima is attacking his rival Iha by saying, "(Iha) opposes the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. He intends to solve the base issue from the viewpoint of a certain ideology. Iha's solution to the base issue is based on the JCP position."

- Akahata, November 19, 2010