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2016 January 13 - 19 [POLITICS]

Ginowan mayoral election campaign centering on Futenma base relocation kicks off

Campaigning for the January 24 Ginowan City mayoral election officially started on January 17. The election will be a one-on-one fight between Shimura Keiichiro representing Okinawans’ anti-base movements and the incumbent mayor, Sakima Atsushi, backed by the Prime Minister Abe-led ruling bloc.

Anti-base candidate Shimura held a kick-off rally at a busy downtown street in Ginowan City. The area was crowded with people wearing a green headband or something green, Shimura’s campaign color.

Shimura stressed, “The key issue in the mayoral election is whether to win the closure and return of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in the city and remove the dangerous risks of the base.” He promised that he will work hard to shut down and take back the Futenma base site without the relocation, bring to an end the operation of the Futenma base within five years, and block the construction of a new U.S. base in Henoko.

Okinawa Governor Onaga Takeshi, opposition party parliamentarians elected from Okinawa, and heads of neighboring municipalities delivered speeches in support of Shimura.

Onaga said, “It is unacceptable for the central government to construct a new U.S. base by threatening Okinawans with the Futenma issue. Let’s work hard for Shimura’s victory and express our firm opposition.”

Meanwhile, Shimura’s rival Sakima in his kick-off speech said that he will object to the permanent use of the Futenma base, but indicated no concrete measures to achieve this. He won the previous election four years ago by pledging to relocate the Futenma base to outside Okinawa.

In his street campaign, executives of the ruling parties, including Minister in charge of Okinawa issues Shimajiri Aiko, took part and called on voters to support Sakima. This shows the Abe administration’s desire for Sakima’s re-election. If Sakima is reelected, Tokyo will advertise it as the latest Okinawan verdict on the Henoko base project and go on to further promote the project.

An opinion poll that a local daily, Ryukyu Shimpo, conducted at the end of 2015 indicated that the majority of respondents said that they place importance on base issues in elections and that 70% said “No” to the Futenma relocation within Okinawa.

Past related articles:
> ‘All Okinawa council’ against Henoko base project formed [December 15, 2015]
> Anti-US base candidate loses in Ginowan mayoral election by 900 votes [February 14, 2012]