Okinawa voters expected to turn backs on central gov't despite China threat

Just a reminder... "voters in Okinawa" does not mean the majority of Okinawans, or at best it is a very slim percentage above 50.... which of course does not include all minors. So, you actually only have some 20+% of ALL Okinawans who say they are against the bases, and those ones are DEAD quiet when China sends a sub through their waters or much more noticeably when a nation like Russia attacks a nation like Ukraine.

And don't forget, NOWHERE on the ballot does it ask them if they want the handouts for hosting the bases to be eliminated because they most definitely still want that and the protection of the US in case of invasion, they just don't want a physical US presence or to work at all in order to get them.

Okinawans clearly want to live in peace with China and engage in cultural and economic exchange as they have for centuries with Mainland Asia.

"China threat".... Nice biased reporting.

China is not a threat to Okinawa. The US bases on Okinawa have one purpose....

To threaten China.

China is not a threat to Okinawa.

True. China is a threat to the entire world.

On past evidence the US has killed many outside its own borders-many more than China!

It is obvious that the US is the bigger threat.

The LDP backs Atsushi Sakima, a former mayor. Tamaki defeated him in 2018 by 396,632 votes to 316,458, partly by calling for the large Futenma U.S. air base to be moved outside the prefecture.

Keep these numbers in mind when the totals come out this time. There will be people making the wrong claim, that an "overwhelming" majority of Okinawans voted for Deny, if he does win.

Historically China treated Okinawa /Ryukyuans better than the Japanese ever have.

Well over 250 maybe 300 years ago too. Let's not forget that "historically" the Roman's treated their citizens better than anyone else did too!

Get with the times! We arent living in the 1600's!

"Voters in Okinawa " means those voting within the existing parameters of the existing democratic system.

A little disingenuous to invent other "realities " based on one's supposition about the "real Okinawan feeling ".

Cant Okinawans' vote for themselves. ?

They seem not to want US bases on their land and the great risks that poses to ordinary people there.

Okinawa's problem is one of geographic location ie close to China, yet part of Japan, should hostilities erupt.

Between a rock and a hard place.

The only reason China would be a threat to Okinawa is because of the presence of the occupiers.

> deanzaZZRToday 01:56 pm JST

Okinawans clearly want to live in peace with China and engage in cultural and economic exchange as they have for centuries with Mainland Asia.

That is clearly true but they have also been dominated by the two great powers, China and Japan, and now North Korea is definitely a threat. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of human beings want to live in peace but let's not pull the wool over our eyes, there are clear and present dangers all around. To deny that would only be fooling oneself.

Don’t kid yourself, Okinawans don’t like chinese AND they don’t like all the bases either.

I know, all my friends told me. I lived in Urasoe, Naha and Chatan.

I'm heartened to read this article predicting Tamaki's win in the election. The voters weren't swayed at all by the central government's all-out efforts to back up Atsushi Sakima, a pro-relocation candidate in line with the central government's cajolement. They weren't swayed by China's assertive military activities around Taiwan and in the vicinity of the Senkakus, either.

The Marines are illegally squatting in private lands in Futenma at the current site, whereby they have no innate right to demand a replacement be built in Henoko in exchange of its return. Futenma must be returned in no time without any strings attached.

Some people claim legal matters involving U.S. bases have been solved through various bilateral agreements. But how? By agreeing international law can be disregarded and rescinded?

The Marines are illegally squatting in private lands in Futenma at the current site, whereby they have no innate right to demand a replacement be built in Henoko in exchange of its return. Futenma must be returned in no time without any strings attached.

Some people claim legal matters involving U.S. bases have been solved through various bilateral agreements. But how? By agreeing international law can be disregarded and rescinded?

International law? We live in Japan, Japanese law takes precedence.

You need the bases now more than at anytime in history because of the China threat on the south and the Russian threat on the north. If that is not enough, you have the North Korean threat on the west. Okinawa shouldn’t be obsessed with the removal of the US bases and should know its priorities - they should vote on platforms in education, economy, employment, health, trade and commerce, social security, creating manufacturing jobs, etc.

China is a threat to the entire world.

Everyone knows that the US is the biggest threat to the entire world.

That is a basic fact.

Everyone knows that the US is the biggest threat to the entire world.

You have no idea what 'Everyone knows'.

That is a basic fact.

You have no idea what a 'fact' is. That is an 'opinion'.

This article didn't touch on the side of the economy very well.

Once they put down roots and create the economic zone, it benefits the USA financially, and some local people gain monetary benefits. It causes conflict between people who gain these benefits and those who don't do them.

Creating this economic zone resulted in some people in Okinawa agreeing with the presence of American bases.

He was expected to win.

The facts are so obvious nobody needs an opinion.

I wasn't talking to you, as we are all aware that you know nothing about facts, opinions, logic or sense.

This might well be a fact so we certainly don't need your opinion. On anything.

The bigger picture here is that the national security burden on the main island of Okinawa needs to be reduced. The central government has never been able to propose an agreeable solution for all concerned. Redistributing some assets to other smaller Okinawa islands is an option, but once again many locals oppose this solution.

Then there is the question of the American military. Many in Okinawa and the rest of Japan would like to see some percentage relocated outside of Japan in Guam or other possible nearby options like the Philippines.

Unless we are talking about American military personnel in which case Status of Forces Agreement takes precedence over Japanese law.

Japanese law takes precedence

My Little Group are all Okinawans and they don't HANG OUT with Americans from the base...I just happened to live in their HOOD

Yubaru (Today  05:20 pm JST),

International law? We live in Japan. Japanese law takes precedence.

What does the Convention Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land which the U.S. spearheaded other nations to sign and ratify. Article 46 of the said Convention says, in part, that "private property cannot be confiscated." But the U.S. occupation forces confiscated private property (lands) with impunity to build and expand bases. Futenma is a case in point.

You say this illegality is rescinded by Japanese law because it sits above international law Tell me exactly how Japanese law has rescinded such illegality committed by the U.S. occupation forces.

Does any bilateral agreement say the U.S. occupation army's illegal activities can be rescinded at all?

Historically China treated Okinawa /Ryukyuans better than the Japanese ever have.

You conveniently forgot that the CCP also was not in charge of China back then, and is the current ruling government today. Just replace the US bases with CCP bases... have fun!

Okinawa can make it's own future, but I guarantee, poor choices will create poor consequences.

Passing an independence referendum and proclaiming sovereignty is the only way to get rid of US bases on Okinawa.

Okinawa voters expected to turn backs on central gov't despite China threat

Of all of the territories of Nihon in the 'Taiheiyōsensō' (Great Pacific War) , the Okinawans fought the hardest and, not counting Hiroshima and Nagasaki and, perhaps the purely psychopathically monstrous firebombings, lost the most in defending the 'Homeland'. And in reward for that sacrifice, Tokyo 'TURNED ITS BACK' on Okinawa and let the Americans do whatever they wanted to the Okinawan People. That affection for the central government might be mitigated by Okinawa's history at its hands is quite understandable given the 'WASURENAI' so evident in Nihon no Bunka. Okinawa seems, sometimes, to be the lowly stepsister to the main islands and has, as 'some people' have pointed out at times on this site, an almost racist disinterest in the welfare of the Okinawan People. Surely, as an 'occupied State' and the clear militaristic cant of its aristocracy, Tokyo is hamstrung in its choices but could be a bit more proactive in its support of its presumably own people in Okinawa against the ever grasping American mentality. And, given the spirit of the Okinawan People, it's not inconceivable that Okinawa as a whole, in the long term, might begin to see China as a much more reliable 'ally' than Tokyo.

Good grief. Okinawa voters mandated their trust in Tamaki.  Sensibleness has won.

Congratulations, Governor Tamaki!

Will the Kishida government forge ahead with landfill work at Henoko despite this election result and claim that Japan and the U.S. share the same democratic values?

and claim that Japan and the U.S. share the same democratic values?

That would be a really big problem if Japan shares the same kind of democratic values as the US

You mean the media contrived China threat.