Japan’s LDP-backed Atsushi Sakima Wins Ginowan Mayoral Race; Support Driven by Calls to Develop U.S. Futenma Air Station Land

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:00 JST, September 9, 2024

GINOWAN, Okinawa — Atsushi Sakima, backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, was elected mayor of Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, on Sunday.

Sakima, 60, won his third mayoral race in the city, which hosts the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station. He defeated Isao Tobaru, 65, who opposed the relocation of the air base to Nago in the prefecture, and another first-time candidates.

Former city assembly member Tobaru was backed by the All Okinawa camp, including Gov. Denny Tamaki. Tobaru also was backed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party.

The election was held after the sudden death of Ginowan Mayor Masanori Matsugawa in late July.

The base’s relocation was not a major issue in the election as the prefecture’s legal battle against the central government over the issue appears to have ended, and relocation work is moving forward.

Sakima, who is accepting of relocation, is believed to have gained ground by calling for a gradual reduction of base-hosting burdens before the relocation is completed and for redevelopment projects on the returned land in cooperation with the central government.

In the June Okinawa prefectural assembly election, the parties opposed to Tamaki, including the LDP and Komeito, gained a majority in the assembly.

With its win Sunday in the first mayoral election since the June election, the national ruling coalition has built momentum for the next House of Representatives election and the Okinawa gubernatorial election two years from now.

Despite Tamaki’s full backing, Tobaru failed to win support for shaking up the city’s government, which has been led by conservatives for 12 years.

A total of 77,646 people voted in the election. Voter turnout was 53.27%, down from 63.49% in the previous election.