Denny Tamaki won the gubernatorial elections on the 30th of September 2018 in Okinawa. Tamaki, who was previously the secretary general of the Liberal Party, is a candidate that opposes the relocation of a U.S. military base on this Japanese island and opposes the construction of the new base at Henoko. The previous Governor Takeshi Onaga unfortunately passed away earlier this summer. Onaga´s policies included a strong position against the presence of U.S. bases in Okinawa. This island, which is located in one of the most southern prefectures, comprises less than one per cent of Japan´s landmass, but accommodates more than two thirds of the U.S. bases in Japan.
Throughout the last few years the Okinawan people have demonstrated their unity against the presence of the U.S. military through various demonstrations, public events and campaigns. The resistance and struggle of the Okinawan people is also a contribution to the nationwide effort of the Japanese people to defend Article 9 of the Constitution and nuclear-free, peaceful Japan, as well as to the struggles for peace in Asia and the world.
The family of IPB is delighted to hear about these news and wishes Tamaki and his administration all the best for his work and resistance against foreign military presence.
https://ipb.org/ipb-statements/ipb-statement-solidarity-with-okinawa/