LDP-backed Koja has slight lead over incumbent Tamaki in Okinawa gubernatorial vote
The two candidates are neck and neck, media polls show.
Genta Koja, the Liberal Democratic Party-backed candidate for Okinawa's gubernatorial election, appears to be slightly ahead of incumbent Governor Denny Tamaki in recent polls. However, the race remains very close. The outcome of this election could have significant consequences for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration, which is strongly backing Koja.
Additionally, the potential relocation of a U.S. military base in Okinawa is a key issue in the race and could impact Japan's relationship with the United States. The governorship is also seen as a referendum on Tamaki's leadership, particularly his stance against the construction of a U.S. Marine Corps base on reclaimed land in the Henoko district during the 2018 and 2022 elections.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
