Okinawan gubernatorial election, 2010
Encyclopedia
The Okinawan gubernatorial election, 2010 was held on November 28, 2010. The official campaign start will be on November 11. The 2010 election garners national attention mostly for the dispute between the central government and local communities in Okinawa over the planned relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
from Ginowan
to Henoko in Nago
that had also contributed to the resignation of prime minister Yukio Hatoyama
in June 2010.
Incumbent governor Hirokazu Nakaima
seeks reelection as an independent with support of the prefectural LDP
and Kōmeitō chapters. In the 2006 election
he had narrowly defeated Keiko Itokazu
who ran on an "anti-base" platform with support of the Democratic Party of Japan
(DPJ) and smaller parties. The DPJ took over the central government in 2009 and could not agree on a candidate for Okinawa governor in 2010: it has to defend the central government's agreements with the United States on base relocation against local opposition that includes base opponents from the DPJ's prefectural chapter. The party officially announced its decision in October 2010, the DPJ had already failed to nominate a candidate in Okinawa for the national House of Councillors election in July 2010
.
While Nakaima favors moving the base to outside Okinawa he has repeatedly expressed his willingness to negotiate with the central government on the relocation plans. His likely challenger, former Ginowan
mayor Yōichi Iha is strictly opposed to relocating Futenma to a site within the prefecture and proposes to move all USMC facilities to Guam
. His candidacy is supported by SDP
's and JCP
's prefectural chapters and the Okinawa Social Mass Party. A third declared candidate is Tatsurō Kinjō for the Happiness Realization Party
who supports the planned move to Henoko.
The vote to elect a successor for Yōichi Iha as mayor of Ginowan will be held on the same day.
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma or MCAS Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan, northeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. It is home to approximately 4,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and has been a U.S. military airbase since the island was occupied...
from Ginowan
Ginowan, Okinawa
is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 88,318 and the density of 4,526.81 persons per km². The total area is 19.51 km². The city borders Chatan to the west, Okinawa City to the North, Urasoe to the south and Nishihara to the East.- Politics and...
to Henoko in Nago
Nago, Okinawa
is a city located in the northern part of Okinawa Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 60,598 and the density of 288 persons per km². The total area is 210.30 km². The city was founded on August 1, 1970, and hosted the G-8 Summit in 2000.-...
that had also contributed to the resignation of prime minister Yukio Hatoyama
Yukio Hatoyama
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan between 16 September 2009 and 2 June 2010, and was the first ever Prime Minister from the modern Democratic Party of Japan....
in June 2010.
Incumbent governor Hirokazu Nakaima
Hirokazu Nakaima
is a Japanese bureaucrat, a business leader, and a politician. He was elected governor of Okinawa Prefecture in 2006.- History :Nakaima was born on August 19, 1939 in Higashinari Ward of Osaka. In 1945 during World War II, his family escaped from the air raids in Osaka and evacuated to Meiji,...
seeks reelection as an independent with support of the prefectural LDP
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
and Kōmeitō chapters. In the 2006 election
Okinawan gubernatorial election, 2006
Okinawa held a gubernatorial election November 19, 2006. - Sources :*...
he had narrowly defeated Keiko Itokazu
Keiko Itokazu
is a Japanese politician, an independent and member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Yomitan, Okinawa and high school graduate, she had served in the assembly of Okinawa Prefecture for three terms since 1992 and was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2004...
who ran on an "anti-base" platform with support of the Democratic Party of Japan
Democratic Party of Japan
The is a political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several opposition parties. Its socially liberal platform is generally considered center-left in the Japanese political spectrum...
(DPJ) and smaller parties. The DPJ took over the central government in 2009 and could not agree on a candidate for Okinawa governor in 2010: it has to defend the central government's agreements with the United States on base relocation against local opposition that includes base opponents from the DPJ's prefectural chapter. The party officially announced its decision in October 2010, the DPJ had already failed to nominate a candidate in Okinawa for the national House of Councillors election in July 2010
Japanese House of Councillors election, 2010
The for the upper house of the legislature of Japan were held on July 11, 2010. In the last election in 2007, the Liberal Democratic Party lost its majority to the Democratic Party of Japan , which managed to gain the largest margin since its formation in 1996. The House of Councillors is...
.
While Nakaima favors moving the base to outside Okinawa he has repeatedly expressed his willingness to negotiate with the central government on the relocation plans. His likely challenger, former Ginowan
Ginowan, Okinawa
is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 88,318 and the density of 4,526.81 persons per km². The total area is 19.51 km². The city borders Chatan to the west, Okinawa City to the North, Urasoe to the south and Nishihara to the East.- Politics and...
mayor Yōichi Iha is strictly opposed to relocating Futenma to a site within the prefecture and proposes to move all USMC facilities to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. His candidacy is supported by SDP
Social Democratic Party (Japan)
The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also known as the Social Democratic Party of Japan (abbreviated to SDPJ or SDP in English) is a political party that advocates for the establishment of a...
's and JCP
Japanese Communist Party
The Japanese Communist Party is a left-wing political party in Japan.The JCP advocates the establishment of a society based on socialism, democracy and peace, and opposition to militarism...
's prefectural chapters and the Okinawa Social Mass Party. A third declared candidate is Tatsurō Kinjō for the Happiness Realization Party
Happiness Realization Party
, abbreviated as 幸福, is a Japanese political party founded by Ryuho Okawa on 23 May 2009 "in order to offer the Japanese people a third option" for the upcoming elections in August 2009. The HRP is the political wing of the Happy Science religious movement....
who supports the planned move to Henoko.
The vote to elect a successor for Yōichi Iha as mayor of Ginowan will be held on the same day.