Photo/Illutration Atsushi Sakima declares victory in the Ginowan mayoral election in Okinawa Prefecture on Sept. 8. (Taro Ono)

GINOWAN, Okinawa Prefecture--Atsushi Sakima won the mayoral election here with his pro-stance over a massive central government project to relocate a U.S. military base that has proved bitterly divisive.

The 60-year-old Sakima served as mayor from 2012 to 2018. He ran as an independent in the Sept. 8 poll but was endorsed by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito.

This marks the fifth consecutive victory since 2012 for a candidate supported by the LDP and Komeito in a Ginowan mayoral election.

Ginowan is home to the sprawling U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which is to be relocated to the Henoko district of Nago, also in the prefecture.

Sakima defeated Isao Tobaru, who called for closure of the Futenma base but opposed its relocation to the Henoko site.

Tobaru, a 65-year-old independent newcomer, was supported by Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party and local entity Okinawa Shakai Taishu-to.

Tobaru’s defeat marked another setback for Tamaki, who staunchly opposes the government’s plan and supports relocating the facility to another part of Japan.

The governor also suffered a blow following the June prefectural assembly election, where the parties supporting him were reduced to a minority.

During his campaign, Sakima argued that the central government’s decision is paramount in the Futenma base issue, calling for a clear timeline for the base’s relocation, which the government now projects will be in the mid-2030s at the earliest.

Additionally, Sakima urged the government to initiate a phased transfer of U.S. aircraft from Futenma to the reclaimed Henoko site even before the new base is fully operational.

He also emphasized his close ties with former mayor Masanori Matsugawa, who died in July while in office.

Sakima highlighted his own previous experience as mayor from 2012 to 2018, during which he worked with Matsugawa, who was then the deputy mayor.

“I am the only one who can continue Matsugawa’s legacy,” Sakima was fond of stating throughout the campaign, garnering wide applause at each stop.

Tobaru opposed the Henoko relocation plan, citing delays going back years and substantial challenges associated with reinforcing the soft seabed at the reclamation site.

He argued that the coastal location could face decades of construction delays, calling for the immediate closure of Futenma and the return of its land, regardless of the development of the Henoko project.

Sakima secured 24,173 votes, followed by Tobaru with 16,195 and Takashi Higa, another independent newcomer, with 705.

The turnout rate was 53.27 percent out of 77,646 eligible voters. This was 10.22 percentage points lower than the previous election, which coincided with gubernatorial and municipal assembly elections.

(This article was written by Taro Ono and Satsuki Tanahashi.)

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