Photo/Illutration Yoichi Iha, second from right, appears at an Upper House campaign event on June 22 with Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, second from left. (Shogo Mitsuzumi)

NAHA--Political heavyweights are stumping for both major candidates in Okinawa running in the Upper House election as parties pour resources into a heated battle over the lone seat.

The Liberal Democratic Party is putting up a hard fight to try to retake it on the hopes that the Cabinet’s favorable public opinion ratings will blow wind in the sails of their campaign.

Experts said the fierce race is shaping up to be a preview for the next major political battle this fall, when Okinawans will choose their next governor in September.

The incumbent, Yoichi Iha, 70, is being supported not only by the major opposition parties, but also Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, who was by Iha’s side when campaigning officially began on June 22.

But Tamaki was recently confirmed to have COVID-19, and has not appeared with Iha since, dealing a stiff blow to the campaign.

Iha is a former mayor of Ginowan, which hosts U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, so he has a deep understanding of the problems Okinawans experience from having the U.S. military located there.

But during the Upper House campaign, he has focused more on dealing with the negative economic effects brought about by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

While Tamaki has not appeared with Iha, others have spoken on behalf of the incumbent. That includes Kazuo Shii, the head of the Japanese Communist Party, and Chinami Nishimura, the secretary-general of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

But Iha's campaign headquarters has not determined whether to focus more on opposing the Futenma move to the Henoko district of Nago, also in Okinawa Prefecture, or on emphasizing the need for economic measures to deal with surging consumer prices and COVID-19.

Those close to Tamaki said they will also have to rethink their strategy for the upcoming gubernatorial campaign.

The ruling LDP’s candidate in Okinawa has lost three times straight in Upper House elections. But the high support ratings for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet is giving LDP officials hope of taking back the Okinawa seat.

Genta Koja, 38, is running for the LDP. Koja previously worked as a bureaucrat in a central government ministry.

Kishida, LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi and other party bigwigs have flown to Okinawa to campaign on behalf of Koja.

One LDP source expressed confidence, particularly since Tamaki has not had a major impact so far, being on the sidelines. 

Ruling coalition officials added that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has helped their side. Not only are voters more willing to support an increase in defense spending, but the opposition parties are also finding it more difficult to oppose having U.S. bases in Okinawa.

On July 1, Kishida gave a speech in Ginowan championing the base relocation.

“We must push forward with the relocation to Henoko so the land on which Futenma stands can be returned as soon as possible,” he said.

Koja has also come out in favor of the Henoko relocation and has stressed the need for the presence of the U.S. military and the Self-Defense Forces, given the Ukraine situation.

But he has not aggressively brought up the Henoko issue because his staff believes there is still latent local anger over the relocation.

LDP officials have also had their likely candidate in the gubernatorial election appear with Koja and LDP executives during the Upper House campaign.

“If we can win here in the Upper House election, we can win the gubernatorial election,” an associate to Kishida said. “So, he is putting extra effort here.”

The other candidates running in Okinawa are Kei Yamamoto, 42, of the anti-NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.) party; Sadafumi Kawano, 48, of Sanseito (political participation party); and Tatsuro Kinjo, 58, of the Happiness Realization Party.

(This article was written by Shogo Mitsuzumi, Yoshichika Yamanaka and Kazuki Uechi.)

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