A member of the Nago Municipal Assembly opposed to construction of a joint civilian-U.S. military airport formally announced Thursday he will run in next month's mayoral election.
Yasuhiro Miyagi, 42, told a news conference that if he wins he will repeal the city's support for the airport, which is to be built on a reef off the city's Henoko district.
Miyagi is the former leader of a citizens' group that opposes the plan and spearheaded the drive against the airport prior to a referendum on the issue in December 1997.
Most of the people who voted in that referendum rejected the planned airport, which is to take over the heliport functions of the Futenma air base in Ginowan, central Okinawa, so that it can be returned to Japan as agreed by the two governments.