Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki remains favorite to win the upcoming gubernatorial election, thanks to strong support from voters opposed to a central government-backed plan to relocate a U.S. military base within the southern island prefecture, a Kyodo New survey showed Monday.
The 62-year-old incumbent, backed by the opposition camp, was followed by ruling-coalition-backed Atsushi Sakima, 58, making the race look increasingly like a rerun of the 2018 face-off between the two candidates.
Former lower house lawmaker Mikio Shimoji, 61, has not gained widespread support ahead of the Sept. 11 gubernatorial election, the telephone poll showed.
Tamaki is known as a staunch opponent of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from the densely populated city of Ginowan to the Henoko coastal area of Nago, preferring instead that it be moved outside of the prefecture or the country completely, while Sakima supports the base transfer.
The Japanese and U.S. governments maintain the current relocation plan is the only solution that ensures deterrence under their long-standing security alliance and removes the dangers posed by the base at the same time.
Reviving the subtropical island's all-important tourism industry, hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, is also a focus of the three-way election race.
The poll was conducted Saturday and Sunday to which 1,136 Okinawa voters gave valid answers. About 10 percent of the respondents said they are yet to decide who they will vote for.
Among the respondents, 37 percent said they want the next governor to put the most emphasis on the economy, tourism and employment, followed by 29 percent that named the relocation plan and U.S. base issues.
More than half of the people who gave the economy as a point of focus said they will vote for Sakima, while those focused on problems stemming from many U.S. military facilities in the prefecture said they will vote for Tamaki.
A total of 55 percent said they are opposed or somewhat opposed to the relocation of the Futenma base, eclipsing the 39 percent who said they find the plan acceptable or somewhat acceptable.
Tamaki has secured backing from about 90 percent of Japanese Communist Party supporters and most of those who have affiliations with opposition parties are rallying behind him.
As for Sakima, about 70 percent of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition ally Komeito supporters have already said they will vote for him. Those in their 30 and 40s are especially supportive of him.
Among people who voted for Sakima in the 2018 gubernatorial election, nearly 90 percent said they will vote for him again. On the same aspect, it is about 80 percent for Tamaki.
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