Japan Press Weekly

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2018 February 7 - 13 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Gov’t to resume subsidy payments to Nago City

It has come to light that the government began discussing the resumption of the payment of U.S. base-related subsidies to Okinawa’s Nago City in response to the victory of the ruling party-backed candidate in the city mayoral election on February 4.

The government is openly employing a carrot and stick approach to promote the construction of a new U.S. base there.

Since 2007, the national government has been providing a subsidy to municipalities that support the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan. It paid this financial incentive to Nago in 2008 and 2009 as the then city government gave its nod to the U.S. base construction in the city’s Henoko district. However, after Inamine Susumu, who opposes the base construction, became the mayor in 2010, the central government suspended the subsidy payment.

Mayor-elect Toguchi Taketoyo on February 6 expressed his willingness to receive the state subsidies for the U.S. military alignment project.

During the election campaign, Toguchi did not clarify his position in regard to the Henoko base construction.

Citing the fact that a large number of Henoko residents, including those who voted for Toguchi, are opposed to the Henoko project, Toguchi at a press conference on February 5 admitted that his election victory does not necessarily mean that voters approved the Henoko project. Despite this, the mayor-elect suggested that the city will accept the realignment subsidy, which will put the city in a position to follow the national government policy to construct a U.S. base in Henoko.

Past related article:
> Anti-base candidate falls short of being reelected to Okinawa's Nago City mayor [February 6, 2018]