2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election

The 2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election was held on 30 September 2018 to elect the next governor of Okinawa.[2] As there are no term limits in Japan, incumbent Governor Takeshi Onaga was eligible for re-election before his death in August 2018.[3] The election was originally scheduled to be held on 9 December 2018, but this was brought forward after Onaga's untimely death. Onaga's deputy, Kiichiro Jahana temporarily assumed his post for three days until being replaced as interim governor by Moritake Tomikawa. This was the first gubernatorial election in Okinawa since the voting age was lowered to 18.

2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election
30 September 2018
Turnout63.24% Decrease0.89%[1]
 
Nominee Denny Tamaki Atsushi Sakima Shun Kaneshima
Party Independent Independent Independent
Alliance All Okinawa
Popular vote 396,632 316,458 3,638
Percentage 55.1% 43.9% 0.5%
 
Nominee Hatsumi Toguchi
Party Independent
Popular vote 3,482
Percentage 0.5%
Governor before election

Takeshi Onaga
Independent

 Elected Governor

Denny Tamaki
Independent

The relocation of the US air base in Ginowan to Nago was a major issue in the race.[4] The campaign period ran from 13 September until election day.[2][5]

The election was won by Denny Tamaki.[6] Tamaki, like Onaga, wants a fundamental reduction of the U.S. presence in Okinawa.[7][8]

Candidates

Running

Speculative

Declined
  • Morimasa Goya, local businessman and Onaga ally.[10]

Campaign

Similar to the previous gubernatorial election, the issue of the relocation of the US air base in Ginowan to Nago dominated the campaign. The two main candidates were on opposing camps on the issue with Tamaki opposing any relocation within the prefecture and Sakima supporting the relocation. Tamaki made the relocation issue the main plank of his campaign.[13] On the other hand, Sakima downplayed the relocation issue and instead focused on the local economy in his pitch. Voters that cited the base relocation as their most important issue mostly supported Tamaki, while those more concerned with the economy supported Sakima.[14]

Results

The exit poll on election night indicated a large victory for Tamaki and the NHK called the election for Tamaki early during the count. He gained 396,632 votes, the most votes ever obtained by a candidate in an Okinawa-wide election.[15]

Okinawa gubernatorial election, 2018[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Denny Tamaki 396,632 55.07
Independent Atsushi Sakima 316,458 43.94
Independent Shun Kaneshima 3,638 0.51
Independent Hatsumi Toguchi 3,482 0.48
Total valid votes 720,210 99.31
Rejected ballots 5,044 0.69
Turnout 725,254 63.24 Decrease0.89
Registered electors 1,146,815

Breakdown
Division Subdivision
Sakima
Independent		 Tamaki
Independent		 Toguchi
Independent		 Kaneshima
Independent		 Valid votes Invalid votes Turnout[17]
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Total %
Cities Naha 65,524 40.91 92,264 57.83 869 0.54 1,152 0.72 160,169 99.24 1,219 0.76 161,388 65.86
Ginowan 26,644 53.99 22,379 45.35 142 0.29 185 0.37 49,350 99.44 279 0.56 49,629 64.03
Ishigaki 11,648 50.89 11,015 48.12 97 0.42 129 0.56 22,889 99.12 204 0.88 23,093 55.25
Urasoe 25,319 44.80 30,622 54.18 264 0.47 312 0.55 56,517 99.34 376 0.66 56,893 65.60
Nago 15,013 46.86 16,796 52.43 136 0.42 93 0.29 32,038 99.58 135 0.42 32,173 68.30
Itoman 12,550 43.88 15,708 54.92 197 0.69 148 0.52 28,603 99.31 199 0.69 28,802 63.45
Okinawa 27,321 42.78 35,947 56.28 239 0.37 363 0.57 63,870 99.43 367 0.57 64,237 60.31
Tomigusuku 13,039 42.46 17,442 56.79 121 0.39 110 0.36 30,712 99.24 236 0.76 30,948 62.94
Uruma 26,407 42.54 35,011 56.39 352 0.57 312 0.50 62,082 98.98 642 1.02 62,724 60.36
Miyakojima 13,314 54.50 10,961 44.87 83 0.34 72 0.29 24,430 99.37 154 0.63 24,584 59.49
Nanjō 9,773 43.11 12,642 55.77 147 0.65 106 0.47 22,668 99.37 143 0.63 22,811 67.09
Cities total 246,552 44.56 301,147 54.42 2,647 0.48 2,982 0.54 553,328 99.29 3,954 0.71 557,282 63.53
Towns and villages Kunigami District 15,069 44.66 18,354 54.40 181 0.54 136 0.40 33,740 99.45 187 0.55 33,927 66.02
Kunigami 1,555 58.07 1,101 41.11 11 0.41 11 0.41 2,678 99.59 11 0.41 2,689 66.73
Ōgimi 600 34.31 1,141 65.24 3 0.17 5 0.29 1,749 99.71 5 0.29 1,754 66.34
Higashi 589 52.68 516 46.15 11 0.98 2 0.18 1,118 99.38 7 0.62 1,125 76.97
Nakijin 1,817 35.43 3,261 63.59 31 0.60 19 0.37 5,128 99.34 34 0.66 5,162 67.37
Motobu 3,095 45.70 3,621 53.46 34 0.50 23 0.34 6,773 99.40 41 0.60 6,814 63.94
Onna 2,275 44.55 2,771 54.26 38 0.74 23 0.45 5,107 99.45 28 0.55 5,135 63.36
Ginoza 1,389 44.15 1,716 54.55 21 0.67 20 0.64 3,146 99.24 24 0.76 3,170 72.94
Kin 2,635 48.51 2,755 50.72 18 0.33 24 0.44 5,432 99.45 30 0.55 5,462 64.58
Ie 1,114 42.70 1,472 56.42 14 0.54 9 0.34 2,609 99.73 7 0.27 2,616 65.11
Nakagami District 30,632 39.85 45,597 59.32 355 0.46 279 0.36 76,863 99.39 470 0.61 77,333 65.37
Yomitan 7,658 39.17 11,715 59.92 111 0.57 66 0.34 19,550 99.41 117 0.59 19,667 64.14
Kadena 3,231 47.24 3,534 51.67 47 0.69 27 0.39 6,839 99.33 46 0.67 6,885 65.58
Chatan 5,280 40.38 7,694 58.85 51 0.39 50 0.39 13,075 99.38 82 0.62 13,157 62.38
Kitanakagusuku 3,169 36.94 5,344 62.30 32 0.37 33 0.38 8,578 99.54 40 0.46 8,618 66.41
Nakagusuku 4,393 41.82 6,045 57.54 37 0.35 30 0.79 10,505 99.26 78 0.74 20,583 65.57
Nishihara 6,901 37.68 11,265 61.50 77 0.42 73 0.40 18,316 99.42 107 0.58 18,423 68.48
Shimajiri District 22,037 42.15 29,763 56.93 258 0.49 225 0.43 52,283 99.31 361 0.69 52,644 67.04
Yonabaru 4,177 42.63 5,524 56.38 47 0.48 50 0.51 9,798 99.38 61 0.62 9,859 68.04
Haebaru 7,435 38.63 11,669 60.63 75 0.39 67 0.35 19,246 99.42 113 0.58 19,359 66.78
Tokashiki 207 51.75 193 48.25 0 0.00 0 0.00 400 97.80 9 2.20 409 75.84
Zamami 261 44.54 319 54.44 5 0.85 1 0.17 586 99.49 3 0.51 589 81.17
Aguni 189 52.21 169 46.69 4 1.10 0 0.00 362 99.45 2 0.55 364 63.51
Tonaki 125 53.88 106 45.69 0 0.00 1 0.43 232 98.72 3 1.28 235 74.79
Minamidaitō 513 68.31 231 30.76 5 0.67 2 0.27 751 99.60 3 0.40 754 77.08
Kitadaitō 299 78.89 77 20.32 3 0.79 0 0.00 379 98.44 6 1.56 385 85.32
Iheya 380 57.40 275 41.54 2 0.30 5 0.76 662 98.51 10 1.49 672 73.79
Izena 437 59.05 291 39.32 9 1.22 3 0.41 740 97.88 16 2.12 756 69.76
Kumejima 1,544 40.28 2,233 58.26 42 1.10 14 0.37 3,833 99.33 26 0.67 3,859 64.90
Yaese 6,470 42.30 8,676 56.73 66 0.43 82 0.54 15,294 99.29 109 0.71 15,403 65.37
Miyako District 421 68.68 191 31.16 1 0.16 0 0.00 613 99.51 3 0.49 616 73.89
Tarama 421 68.68 191 31.16 1 0.16 0 0.00 613 99.51 3 0.49 616 73.89
Yaeyama District 1,747 51.64 1,580 46.70 40 1.18 16 0.47 3,383 98.00 69 2.00 3,452 72.64
Taketomi 1,148 48.58 1,178 49.85 25 1.06 12 0.51 2,363 97.40 63 2.60 2,426 71.70
Yonaguni 599 58.73 402 39.41 15 1.47 4 0.39 1,020 99.42 6 0.58 1,026 75.23
Towns and villages total 69,906 41.89 95,485 57.22 835 0.50 656 0.39 166,882 99.35 1,090 0.65 167,972 66.18
Total 316,458 43.94 396,632 55.07 3,482 0.48 3,638 0.51 720,210 99.30 5,044 0.70 725,254 63.24
Source: Results

References
  1. "【知事選投票率速報】最終午後１１時２５分、６３・２４％". Ryūkyū Shimpō. 30 September 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  2. Kyodo News (13 August 2018). "With U.S. Futenma base issue on the line, vote to replace late Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga set for Sept. 30". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  3. "Okinawa Governor Onaga, who led anti-U.S. base move, dies". Asahi Shimbun. Associated Press. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  4. Yamashita, Ryuichi (7 November 2017). "New building work begins at site for U.S. base in Okinawa". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  5. 平成30年執行沖縄県知事選挙及び沖縄県議会議員補欠選挙 (in Japanese). 沖縄県. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  6. "Denny Tamaki, critic of US bases on Okinawa, wins election". ABC News. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  7. Denyer, Simon (30 September 2018). "Opponent of U.S. military bases wins Okinawa gubernatorial election". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  8. Yamashita, Ryuichi (30 September 2018). "Onaga successor wins Okinawa gubernatorial election". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  9. Yamashita, Ryuichi (3 July 2018). "LDP turns to pro-Abe mayor for Okinawa governor's race". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  10. Ito, Kazuyuki; Yamashita, Ryuichi (20 August 2018). "Onaga's chosen 'successor' mulls governor race run in Okinawa". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  11. "Denny Tamaki takes plunge into Okinawa governor's race". Asahi Shimbun. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  12. Kyodo News (29 January 2018). "Nago mayoral candidates start campaigning for Japanese election tied to base relocation plan, gubernatorial race". Japan Times. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  13. "Campaign starts in Okinawa, centered on U.S. base relocation". Asahi Shimbun. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  14. "Asahi poll: Tight contest seen in Okinawa governor race". Asahi Shimbun. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  15. "Tamaki's big win in Okinawa deals 'too harsh a blow' for Abe". Asahi Shimbun. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  16. 知事選開票確定 (PDF) (in Japanese). 沖縄県. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  17. 知事選投票確定 (PDF) (in Japanese). 沖縄県. Retrieved 8 October 2018.


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