Okinawa Governor Race Pits Tamaki Against LDP-Backed Koja
Okinawa voters head to the polls Sunday in a gubernatorial contest centred on the relocation of a US Marine base and the scale of the American military presence.
Okinawa's gubernatorial election will be held on Sunday, with the incumbent, Denny Tamaki, facing a challenge from Genta Koja, a former deputy mayor of Naha.
Tamaki has campaigned against the continuing relocation of a US Marine base, a project advanced by Japan's central government. He has also pressed for a further reduction in the American military footprint on the southern island chain, and is seeking another term at a time of rising concern over tensions with China and near Taiwan.
Koja, who previously served as Naha's deputy mayor, is contesting the seat with the backing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told an LDP executive meeting this week that the party would "do everything possible" in the Okinawa contest, a signal of her full support for Koja.
Campaigning has unfolded across the prefecture, with candidates greeting voters and addressing crowds in the final stretch before polling day. Koja thanked supporters for sustaining his campaign over what he described as a long race.
The vote is being watched as a measure of local sentiment on the US military presence, an issue that has shaped Okinawan politics for decades.