Okinawa Gov. Tamaki leaves office at end of 8-year tenure

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki resigned at the conclusion of his 8-year term, citing concerns over the increasing burden placed on the prefecture due to the excessive hosting of U.S. military bases. Tamaki's tenure was marked by his contentious disputes with the central government regarding the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko, a coastal area in Nago.

Koja, Tamaki's successor, supports the relocation plan and will assume office on Wednesday. Koja's administration will be the first in 12 years to endorse the relocation scheme. At a press conference, Tamaki expressed his doubts about the efficacy of the Japan-U.S. alliance, stating that the lack of a clear timeline for Futenma's return raises questions about the proper functioning of the partnership.

He also warned that if the issue were left solely to the central government without adequate communication to Okinawa residents, the strain on the prefecture from accommodating the majority of the U.S. military presence in Japan would continue to escalate. Tamaki previously served as governor from 2018, succeeding Takeshi Onaga, a well-known opponent of the relocation to Henoko, who passed away that year.

During his time in office, Tamaki achieved some success in addressing the issue of child poverty, a long-standing challenge in Okinawa. However, the prefecture continues to have one of the lowest per capita incomes in Japan, and the economic benefits of its thriving tourism industry are largely reaped outside the region. Meanwhile, Koja's campaign focused on enhancing Okinawa's economic growth through stronger collaboration with the central government.