September 11, 2014

Naha City Mayor Onaga Takeshi at a city assembly plenary session on September 10 formally announced his candidacy for the Okinawa gubernatorial election slated for November 16.

Taking up the results of an opinion poll released two weeks ago by Ryukyu Shimpo in which 80.2% of Okinawans expressed opposition to the construction of a new U.S. base in Henoko, Onaga proclaimed that he will stand firm against the central government plan to transfer the Futenma base within Okinawa.

The Japanese Communist Party and other anti-base political parties of the Naha City Assembly, including a former Liberal Democratic Party faction (Shinpukai) which was ousted from the LDP after criticizing the party’s acceptance of the new base, asked Onaga to run for Okinawa governor. Local business leaders, unions, and women’s organizations also support his candidacy.

Onaga, former secretary-general of the LDP Okinawa Chapter, said, “I will do my best to meet their expectations and to create a better future for Okinawa.”

Incumbent Nakaima Hirokazu and Shimoji Mikio, former postal revitalization minister, will also take part in the governor race.