Firm local opposition to base relocation within Okinawa shown by Iha's good fight

Japan Press Weekly

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Firm local opposition to base relocation within Okinawa shown by Iha's good fight

In the Okinawa gubernatorial election held on November 28, candidate Iha Yoichi, who has led Okinawans' strong opposition to the relocation of the U.S. Futenma base within the prefecture, fought a close race with Nakaima Hirokazu, who reversed his previous position approving the base transfer within Okinawa right before the election campaign.

75% against base relocation within Okinawa

At the night of the voting day in his campaign office, surrounded by reporters, Iha said, "As long as bases stay in Okinawa, base issues will continue to remain as the main task we have to solve. Our struggle will continue, so let us continue to work together. We will prevail." His supporters responded with a big round of applause.

During the election campaign, Iha promised that he will represent to the Japanese and U.S. governments local residents' consensus calling for the closure and removal of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City.

This call was widely accepted by voters as the following exit polls taken by Kyodo News and NHK show: 68.9 percent (Kyodo) or 75 percent (NHK) of respondents said they cannot accept the construction of a new U.S. base in the Henoko district, Nago City, in Okinawa.

The fierce battle between Iha and Nakaima put severe stress on the incumbent camp, as its senior official said, "I could not sleep well through the last week before election day. We could not predict the election result at all."

The gubernatorial election result "has again brought out residents' rejection to the base relocation within the prefecture (‘Ryukyu Shimpo', Nov. 29)". Facing their firm opposition before the election, Nakaima had to change his position on the issue and called for the base to be moved out of the prefecture.

The above mentioned official of Nakaima's camp said, "There is no room for base relocation within the prefecture." Nakaima himself, on the day after the election, said, "My opponent received nearly 300,000 votes. As the elected representative of Okinawan people, I will do my job to meet their expectations."

Kyodo's exit poll indicates that about 40 percent of those who are opposed to the Futenma base transfer within the prefecture voted for Nakaima. The Okinawa Times in its editorial on November 29 pointed out, "The conservative camp could no longer carry out the election campaign by calling for the base transfer within the prefecture, which it had long accepted." Voters will not allow any turning back on the base issue.

- Akahata, November 30, 2010