2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election
2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election Turnout 63.24% 0.89%[1]
The 2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election was held on 30 September 2018 to elect the next governor of Okinawa .[2] As there are no term limits in Japan , incumbent Governor Takeshi Onaga was eligible for re-election before his death in August 2018.[3] The election was originally scheduled to be held on 9 December 2018, but this was brought forward after Onaga's untimely death. Onaga's deputy, Kiichiro Jahana temporarily assumed his post for three days until being replaced as interim governor by Moritake Tomikawa . This was the first gubernatorial election in Okinawa since the voting age was lowered to 18.
The relocation of the US air base in Ginowan to Nago was a major issue in the race.[4] The campaign period ran from 13 September until election day.[2] [5]
The election was won by Denny Tamaki .[6] Tamaki, like Onaga, wants a fundamental reduction of the U.S. presence in Okinawa.[7] [8]
Candidates
Running
Atsushi Sakima , mayor of Ginowan (2012–2018).[9] (endorsed by LDP , Komeito , Nippon Ishin no Kai and Kibo )
Denny Tamaki , member of the House of Representatives for the Okinawa 3rd district (2009–2018).[10] [11] (supported by CDP , DPFP , JCP , LP , SDP and OSMP )
Hatsumi Toguchi, former member of the Naha City Assembly.
Shun Kaneshima, former IT company employee.
Speculative
Declined
Morimasa Goya, local businessman and Onaga ally.[10]
Campaign
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(October 2018 )
Similar to the previous gubernatorial election , the issue of the relocation of the US air base in Ginowan to Nago dominated the campaign. The two main candidates were on opposing camps on the issue with Tamaki opposing any relocation within the prefecture and Sakima supporting the relocation. Tamaki made the relocation issue the main plank of his campaign.[13] On the other hand, Sakima downplayed the relocation issue and instead focused on the local economy in his pitch. Voters that cited the base relocation as their most important issue mostly supported Tamaki, while those more concerned with the economy supported Sakima.[14]
Results
The exit poll on election night indicated a large victory for Tamaki and the NHK called the election for Tamaki early during the count. He gained 396,632 votes, the most votes ever obtained by a candidate in an Okinawa-wide election.[15]
Breakdown
Division
Subdivision
SakimaIndependent
TamakiIndependent
ToguchiIndependent
KaneshimaIndependent
Valid votes
Invalid votes
Turnout[17]
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
%
Total
%
Cities
Naha
65,524
40.91
92,264
57.83
869
0.54
1,152
0.72
160,169
99.24
1,219
0.76
161,388
65.86
Ginowan
26,644
53.99
22,379
45.35
142
0.29
185
0.37
49,350
99.44
279
0.56
49,629
64.03
Ishigaki
11,648
50.89
11,015
48.12
97
0.42
129
0.56
22,889
99.12
204
0.88
23,093
55.25
Urasoe
25,319
44.80
30,622
54.18
264
0.47
312
0.55
56,517
99.34
376
0.66
56,893
65.60
Nago
15,013
46.86
16,796
52.43
136
0.42
93
0.29
32,038
99.58
135
0.42
32,173
68.30
Itoman
12,550
43.88
15,708
54.92
197
0.69
148
0.52
28,603
99.31
199
0.69
28,802
63.45
Okinawa
27,321
42.78
35,947
56.28
239
0.37
363
0.57
63,870
99.43
367
0.57
64,237
60.31
Tomigusuku
13,039
42.46
17,442
56.79
121
0.39
110
0.36
30,712
99.24
236
0.76
30,948
62.94
Uruma
26,407
42.54
35,011
56.39
352
0.57
312
0.50
62,082
98.98
642
1.02
62,724
60.36
Miyakojima
13,314
54.50
10,961
44.87
83
0.34
72
0.29
24,430
99.37
154
0.63
24,584
59.49
Nanjō
9,773
43.11
12,642
55.77
147
0.65
106
0.47
22,668
99.37
143
0.63
22,811
67.09
Cities total
246,552
44.56
301,147
54.42
2,647
0.48
2,982
0.54
553,328
99.29
3,954
0.71
557,282
63.53
Towns and villages
Kunigami District
15,069
44.66
18,354
54.40
181
0.54
136
0.40
33,740
99.45
187
0.55
33,927
66.02
Kunigami
1,555
58.07
1,101
41.11
11
0.41
11
0.41
2,678
99.59
11
0.41
2,689
66.73
Ōgimi
600
34.31
1,141
65.24
3
0.17
5
0.29
1,749
99.71
5
0.29
1,754
66.34
Higashi
589
52.68
516
46.15
11
0.98
2
0.18
1,118
99.38
7
0.62
1,125
76.97
Nakijin
1,817
35.43
3,261
63.59
31
0.60
19
0.37
5,128
99.34
34
0.66
5,162
67.37
Motobu
3,095
45.70
3,621
53.46
34
0.50
23
0.34
6,773
99.40
41
0.60
6,814
63.94
Onna
2,275
44.55
2,771
54.26
38
0.74
23
0.45
5,107
99.45
28
0.55
5,135
63.36
Ginoza
1,389
44.15
1,716
54.55
21
0.67
20
0.64
3,146
99.24
24
0.76
3,170
72.94
Kin
2,635
48.51
2,755
50.72
18
0.33
24
0.44
5,432
99.45
30
0.55
5,462
64.58
Ie
1,114
42.70
1,472
56.42
14
0.54
9
0.34
2,609
99.73
7
0.27
2,616
65.11
Nakagami District
30,632
39.85
45,597
59.32
355
0.46
279
0.36
76,863
99.39
470
0.61
77,333
65.37
Yomitan
7,658
39.17
11,715
59.92
111
0.57
66
0.34
19,550
99.41
117
0.59
19,667
64.14
Kadena
3,231
47.24
3,534
51.67
47
0.69
27
0.39
6,839
99.33
46
0.67
6,885
65.58
Chatan
5,280
40.38
7,694
58.85
51
0.39
50
0.39
13,075
99.38
82
0.62
13,157
62.38
Kitanakagusuku
3,169
36.94
5,344
62.30
32
0.37
33
0.38
8,578
99.54
40
0.46
8,618
66.41
Nakagusuku
4,393
41.82
6,045
57.54
37
0.35
30
0.79
10,505
99.26
78
0.74
20,583
65.57
Nishihara
6,901
37.68
11,265
61.50
77
0.42
73
0.40
18,316
99.42
107
0.58
18,423
68.48
Shimajiri District
22,037
42.15
29,763
56.93
258
0.49
225
0.43
52,283
99.31
361
0.69
52,644
67.04
Yonabaru
4,177
42.63
5,524
56.38
47
0.48
50
0.51
9,798
99.38
61
0.62
9,859
68.04
Haebaru
7,435
38.63
11,669
60.63
75
0.39
67
0.35
19,246
99.42
113
0.58
19,359
66.78
Tokashiki
207
51.75
193
48.25
0
0.00
0
0.00
400
97.80
9
2.20
409
75.84
Zamami
261
44.54
319
54.44
5
0.85
1
0.17
586
99.49
3
0.51
589
81.17
Aguni
189
52.21
169
46.69
4
1.10
0
0.00
362
99.45
2
0.55
364
63.51
Tonaki
125
53.88
106
45.69
0
0.00
1
0.43
232
98.72
3
1.28
235
74.79
Minamidaitō
513
68.31
231
30.76
5
0.67
2
0.27
751
99.60
3
0.40
754
77.08
Kitadaitō
299
78.89
77
20.32
3
0.79
0
0.00
379
98.44
6
1.56
385
85.32
Iheya
380
57.40
275
41.54
2
0.30
5
0.76
662
98.51
10
1.49
672
73.79
Izena
437
59.05
291
39.32
9
1.22
3
0.41
740
97.88
16
2.12
756
69.76
Kumejima
1,544
40.28
2,233
58.26
42
1.10
14
0.37
3,833
99.33
26
0.67
3,859
64.90
Yaese
6,470
42.30
8,676
56.73
66
0.43
82
0.54
15,294
99.29
109
0.71
15,403
65.37
Miyako District
421
68.68
191
31.16
1
0.16
0
0.00
613
99.51
3
0.49
616
73.89
Tarama
421
68.68
191
31.16
1
0.16
0
0.00
613
99.51
3
0.49
616
73.89
Yaeyama District
1,747
51.64
1,580
46.70
40
1.18
16
0.47
3,383
98.00
69
2.00
3,452
72.64
Taketomi
1,148
48.58
1,178
49.85
25
1.06
12
0.51
2,363
97.40
63
2.60
2,426
71.70
Yonaguni
599
58.73
402
39.41
15
1.47
4
0.39
1,020
99.42
6
0.58
1,026
75.23
Towns and villages total
69,906
41.89
95,485
57.22
835
0.50
656
0.39
166,882
99.35
1,090
0.65
167,972
66.18
Total
316,458
43.94
396,632
55.07
3,482
0.48
3,638
0.51
720,210
99.30
5,044
0.70
725,254
63.24
Source: Results
References
^ "【知事選投票率速報】最終午後11時25分、63・24%" . Ryūkyū Shimpō . 30 September 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018 .
^ a b Kyodo News (13 August 2018). "With U.S. Futenma base issue on the line, vote to replace late Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga set for Sept. 30" . Asahi Shimbun . Retrieved 13 August 2018 .
^ "Okinawa Governor Onaga, who led anti-U.S. base move, dies" . Asahi Shimbun . Associated Press. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018 .
^ Yamashita, Ryuichi (7 November 2017). "New building work begins at site for U.S. base in Okinawa" . Asahi Shimbun . Retrieved 24 January 2018 .
^ 平成30年執行沖縄県知事選挙及び沖縄県議会議員補欠選挙 (in Japanese). 沖縄県. Retrieved 4 October 2018 .
^ "Denny Tamaki, critic of US bases on Okinawa, wins election" . ABC News . Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018 .
^ Denyer, Simon (30 September 2018). "Opponent of U.S. military bases wins Okinawa gubernatorial election" . The Washington Post . Retrieved 4 October 2018 .
^ Yamashita, Ryuichi (30 September 2018). "Onaga successor wins Okinawa gubernatorial election" . Asahi Shimbun . Retrieved 4 October 2018 .
^ Yamashita, Ryuichi (3 July 2018). "LDP turns to pro-Abe mayor for Okinawa governor's race" . Asahi Shimbun . Retrieved 7 July 2018 .
^ a b Ito, Kazuyuki; Yamashita, Ryuichi (20 August 2018). "Onaga's chosen 'successor' mulls governor race run in Okinawa" . Asahi Shimbun . Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Denny Tamaki takes plunge into Okinawa governor's race" . Asahi Shimbun . 29 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018 .
^ Kyodo News (29 January 2018). "Nago mayoral candidates start campaigning for Japanese election tied to base relocation plan, gubernatorial race" . Japan Times . Retrieved 29 January 2018 .
^ "Campaign starts in Okinawa, centered on U.S. base relocation" . Asahi Shimbun . 13 September 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018 .
^ "Asahi poll: Tight contest seen in Okinawa governor race" . Asahi Shimbun . 24 September 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018 .
^ "Tamaki's big win in Okinawa deals 'too harsh a blow' for Abe" . Asahi Shimbun . 1 October 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018 .
^ 知事選開票確定 (PDF) (in Japanese). 沖縄県. Retrieved 4 October 2018 .
^ 知事選投票確定 (PDF) (in Japanese). 沖縄県. Retrieved 8 October 2018 .
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