Japanese PM-backed candidate wins Okinawa gubernatorial election

Genta Koja bushed two-term incumbent Denny Tamaki, who wants a large US subject basal to beryllium moved retired of Okinawa.

Genta Koja has defeated two-term incumbent Denny Tamaki successful the contention for politician of Japan’s southernmost prefecture, perchance ending much than a decennary of absorption to a United States subject build-up successful the region.

He won 59 percent of the ballot successful Sunday’s election, officials announced connected Monday.

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Koja, a erstwhile lawman politician of Okinawa’s capital, Naha, was backed by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party. He bushed Tamaki, 66, who has agelong pushed for a large US subject basal to beryllium moved retired of Okinawa.

The 42-year-old volition go the youngest Okinawa politician since the prefecture was returned to Japan from US regularisation successful 1972. He volition besides go its archetypal politician calved aft the reversion.

His predetermination could extremity Okinawa’s ineligible efforts to artifact the relocation of US Marines from the Futenma aerial basal to a caller installation astatine Henoko connected the prefecture’s main island, according to Masaaki Gabe, a prof emeritus astatine the University of the Ryukyus.

Gabe besides said it whitethorn marque it easier to grow subject entree to airports and ports.

“Koja could reasonably beryllium expected to o.k. their designation, opening wholly civilian facilities to subject use,” Gabe added.

Koja’s triumph comes arsenic Takaichi prepares to unveil a caller nationalist information strategy this twelvemonth that is expected to accelerate Japan’s biggest subject build-up since World War II.

Her medication said accrued defence spending was indispensable to deter China from utilizing subject unit to beforehand its territorial ambitions successful East Asia.

Okinawa forms portion of what subject planners telephone the archetypal land chain, a drawstring of territory stretching from Japan done the Philippines that constrains China’s entree to the occidental Pacific.

Yonaguni Island, Japan’s westernmost territory, lies 110km (68 miles) eastbound of Taiwan. Beijing claims Taiwan arsenic its ain territory and has stepped up subject enactment astir the democratically governed island.

Tensions betwixt Tokyo and Beijing person risen since Takaichi said past year that a Chinese onslaught connected Taiwan could besides endanger Japan and trigger a subject effect by Tokyo.