Final appeal from Kishimoto and Toguchi in the Nago mayoral election with opening of ballots on 23 January. (23ja22)

With the mayoral term at an end, ballots will be opened on 23 January in the Nago city election in Okinawa Prefecture. The focal point of the election has certainly become the relocation to Henoko in Nago of the US Military Futenma Airfield in Ginowan, Okinawa. The newcomer, Yohei Kishimoto (49), supported by relocation opponent Governor Denny Tamaki, and current Mayor Taketoyo Toguchi (60), backed by the ruling government party that nominated him, have made this a one on one joust. On 22 January, both candidates took to the streets with their final appeals.

　

A string of notable elections are scheduled in the prefecture this year. This mayoral election has become the first battle in this “election year.” Its result will extend its impact not only to the relocation issue, but also to the election this summer for the House of Councilors and for the governor in the fall.


Kishimoto was giving his stump speech everywhere in the city. He claimed, “This city administration hasn’t even mentioned the issue of the new base in Henoko for 4 years. I’m saying what has to be said. I’ll make things better!” Rushing to his support, Governor Tamaki stressed, “We’re not going to let them build their new base at Henoko!”


Mayor Toguchi was making the rounds of city apartment complexes and other locations he deemed important, making his appeal on the success of his first term, “Health care fees, school lunches, child rearing fees, I’ve made them all free!” He promised, “From now on, I’m going to lighten the financial burden of child-rearing for families!” However, he never touched the relocation issue.

　

In 1996, both the US and Japan agreed on the return of Futenma Airfield to Japan. There have been 7 Nago mayoral elections since the plan for relocation to Henoko surfaced. However, this is the first mayoral election since landfill began getting dumped along the shore at Henoko.


Original Japanese article: Jiji Press, published Saturday 22 January 2022 at 20:35

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/492d8bad340267e3c2f88e8590ecc7c917631a40


Translator’s note:

Denny in the News: news about Okinawan Governor Denny Tamaki.

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although Okinawa is important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 

  1. This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 

  2. Any suggestion on improving the translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.

  3. Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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