Candies before the eyes are better than ultimate and genuine beneficiary yet to come? This is what happened in Nago's mayoral election Feb . 4. But the voters must know the sweets are laced with poison.
Nago citizens chose Taketoyo Toguchi over incumbent Mayor Susumu Inamine, believing Toguchi would help bring an end to the city's economic doldrums with lavish aids promised by the LDP government. Shops on the city's traditional main streets are being closed down one by one because fewer and fewer customers come there to shop and entertain themselves. Why?
Customers are attracted to huge shopping malls with spacey parking lots in the suburbs, thus evading traditional mom-and-pop stores in the old section of the city. This is a phenomenon observed anywhere in Okinawa or maybe all over Japan. Would Toguchi be able to reverse this trend and rejuvenate the economy of the city's old section?
Would hosting a new, expanded base at Henoko bring an end to the economic doldrums? I doubt it. The money and aid in connection with the Henoko relocation is nothing but easy money earned without any diligent labor and so would dissipate immediately like bubbles.
Did Nago voters truly make the right choice?
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.