The victory of a ruling bloc-backed candidate in the Okinawa gubernatorial election over an opposition-backed candidate should come as a relief for the central government, which is pushing a plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corp's Futenma Air Station in Ginowan to the marines' Camp Schwab area in Nago, in the northern part of Okinawan Island. The planned relocation is one of the hottest issues in an accord between Japan and the United States over the planned realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.
The victory of Mr. Hirokazu Nakaima, a former vice governor backed by the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, is a boost for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a good omen for the ruling coalition's prospects in the Upper House election, which will be held in July 2007. Following eight years of governance by Gov. Keiichi Inamine, the conservatives will continue to rule in Okinawa under Mr. Nakaima.
The election results show that Okinawan residents are generally more concerned about economic development than about base-related issues and are looking forward to the new governor making efforts to solve economic issues. As Okinawa's unemployment rate stands at 7.8 percent, about twice the national average, Mr. Nakaima calls for the creation of an Okinawa without unemployment.