Mikiko Shiroma was re-elected as mayor here Oct. 21, dealing another blow to the Abe administration over the U.S. military airbase relocation issue that has dominated debate in successive elections in Okinawa Prefecture.
Shiroma, 67, was backed by the “All Okinawa” movement that opposes the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, to the Henoko district of Nago, also in the prefecture.
Defeated Masatoshi Onaga, 69, a former prefectural assembly member belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party, was backed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration, which has vowed to press on with the contentious relocation project.
Voter turnout was 48.19 percent.
Another All Okinawa-backed campaign on a platform of staunchly opposing the base move saw Denny Tamaki elected as prefectural governor on Sept. 30, taking up the mantle of late Governor Takeshi Onaga.
LDP-backed candidates have now been defeated three times in a row following the Okinawa gubernatorial election and the city mayoral election in Tomigusuku which took place Oct. 14.
The signs are not favorable for the Abe administration, which has to fight local elections scheduled for spring, as well as a by-election for the Lower House seat for Okinawa’s third district which will be held in April or later.
The Defense Ministry on Oct. 17 filed a complaint with the land minister, Keiichi Ishii, asking for an injunction to overturn the Okinawa prefectural government’s revocation of approval for the reclamation work, which may have influenced the latest election result.
Shiroma, first elected in 2014 as successor to the late former Naha Mayor and Okinawa Governor Onaga, emphasized collaboration with Tamaki’s new prefectural administration. She successfully wooed voters by not only opposing the base move but also trumpeting her first term achievements, such as establishing scholarships and measures to tackle child poverty.
Her opponent Masatoshi Onaga, former chairman of the LDP’s Okinawa chapter, has strong connections with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and called for increasing family support and economic development, but his campaign failed.
Suga said at a news conference Oct. 22, “It is important to accept the result, considering that candidates campaign on a variety of issues in each municipal election.”
However, he added, “Our stance has not changed in that Henoko is the only solution (for relocating the U.S. base).”