Photo/Illutration Kokusai-dori main street, a popular tourist spot in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, is mostly deserted on June 19 as the local tourism industry is hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

NAHA--Campaigning for the Okinawa gubernatorial election officially started on Aug. 25 with three candidates divided over a controversial plan to relocate a U.S. military base within the prefecture.

The three independents had filed their candidacy papers for the election as of 9 a.m. and will have a little over two weeks to make their case to voters.

Two key issues already at the forefront of the campaign are how to revive the local economy and how to deal with the central government’s project to build a new base off the Henoko district of Nago to take over the functions of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan.

The election was called as the term of incumbent Denny Tamaki, 62, will end on Sept. 29.

Tamaki is seeking re-election with the backing of All Okinawa, a broad coalition of groups from progressives to conservatives, including business leaders, united under the banner of stopping the base relocation project.

He is also vowing to rebuild Okinawa’s economy and tackle child poverty.

Tamaki will face off against Mikio Shimoji, 61, a former Cabinet minister for postal service privatization, and Atsushi Sakima, 58, a former mayor of Ginowan, who lost to Tamaki in the previous gubernatorial race four years ago.

Shimoji, a former Diet member, is advocating for a partial modification of the U.S. base relocation plan. He has vowed to “resolve the issue” so that the prefecture can allocate more resources for “investment in children.”

On the other hand, Sakima, who is backed by the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, endorses the Futenma relocation project.

He is spending much of his time addressing what he calls the “crisis” of the prefectural government’s administration. Sakima blames the prefecture’s ongoing confrontation with the central government for the sluggish local economy.

He is pledging to work to secure upwards of 350 billion yen ($2.56 billion) annually from national coffers for promoting Okinawa, by drawing on his close ties with the LDP-led administration.

Voting is scheduled for Sept. 11.

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