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2014 October 29 - November 4 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Anti-base candidate Onaga starts election campaign for Okinawa governor

The Okinawa gubernatorial election campaign started on October 30. Pledging to block the planned construction of a new U.S. base in the Henoko district in Nago City in the prefecture, former Naha City Mayor Onaga Takeshi launched his fight against the incumbent pro-base candidate.

Onaga receives support from a wide range of people, as well as from the Japanese Communist Party and a lawmakers’ group in the Naha City Assembly. The lawmakers’ group was excluded from the Liberal Democratic Party after revolting against the party leadership over the base issue. Incumbent governor Nakaima Hirokazu, who approved the base construction in breach of his election promise, is backed by the LDP.

Onaga at his kick-off rally held in Naha City expressed his determination to work to prevent the new U.S. base from being constructed. He called on the audience to show their firm resolve to oppose the base plan in the election, receiving enthusiastic applause.

Naha City Assembly member Kinjo Toru, one of the lawmakers who left the LDP, said, “It doesn’t matter if you are conservative or progressive. Let’s work together to stop the construction of a new base.”

JCP member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken stressed, “We came together to support Onaga across party lines because we are all angry at Nakaima who betrayed the voters and is moving forward with the base construction. Let’s force Prime Minister Abe to accept Okinawans’ demands through Onaga’s victory.”

Former Minister for Postal Service Privatization Shimoji Mikio and former member of the House of Councilors Kina Shokichi are also running in the election which will be held on November 16.