Japan ruling camp-backed candidate wins Okinawa governor race - Nikkei Asia

NAHA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Genta Koja, the candidate backed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party, secured victory in Sunday's Okinawa gubernatorial election, becoming the southern island prefecture's first leader in 12 years to back a key U.S. base relocation plan.

Koja's win over incumbent Denny Tamaki, an opponent of the transfer of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan to the coastal Henoko area in Nago within Okinawa, will provide a tailwind for Takaichi's government as it moves ahead with the contentious project.

Unlike in previous elections, the base relocation issue took a backseat to economic issues, and with legal battles with the central government over last year and almost no effective measures left for Okinawa to block the transfer, work to build a replacement facility continues.