NAHA, Okinawa Pref. (Kyodo) Campaigning for a mayoral election kicked off Sunday in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, with the two opponents disagreeing over whether the U.S. Marine Corp's Futenma air base should be relocated there.
Susumu Inamine, 64, the city's former school superintendent, argues the base's operations should be moved outside Okinawa, while incumbent Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, 63, has suggested he will accept its transfer from Ginowan to the Henoko district of Nago.
The voting will be held Jan. 24.
This will be the fourth mayoral election focusing on the Futenma issue. Relocation supporters won the previous races.
"I promise not to allow (Japan and the U.S.) to build a base in the sea of Henoko," Inamine said at his kick-off rally, referring to the plan to build the replacement airfield on landfill.
Inamine is backed by the Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party) and a small local party.
Shimabukuro, supported by New Komeito, said he will tackle the relocation issue "in consultation with Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima and local people."
Shimabukuro is also effectively supported by the Liberal Democratic Party and has been endorsed by Nakaima.
Japan and the U.S. agreed in 2006 to move the base's operations from a residential district in the city of Ginowan to a less populated area in Nago.
The DPJ-led government, which has stated it will settle the relocation issue by May, said it is paying close attention to the election.
Inamine will try to draw on the support of citizens' groups and labor unions that oppose the Futenma transfer by pledging also to further promote welfare and education policies. Shimabukuro, who has appeared reluctant to address the issue directly, will highlight his achievements in creating new jobs.