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GUESTS: Miho Kim, third generation zainichi korean from fukuoka japan, researcher at the DataCenter and Wesley Ueunten, third generation Okinawan, Asian American Studies lecturer at SFSU

The elections for Governor of Okinawa on November 19, 2006 were unique among prefectural elections in Japan in its national, regional and even global implications. Last may the May, during Bush’s visit to Tokyo, the US and Japan outlined a plan of deepening security cooperation between the two Pacific allies, making Japan the Allied force of the east The issue of escalation or removing U.S. military bases in Okinawa is critical because the island nation hosts 75 percent of the bases in Japan. US officials and military brass considered the plan finished. However, the ongoing resistance in Okinawa to the U.S military presence on the island made this issue the key issue in the November 19th governors election. The two major candidates Hirokazu Nakaimo, who ran on a campaign of ambiguity saying he won’t accept a major realignment of forces agreed to by President Bush and then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. He would, however, be willing to negotiate the future of US bases – unlike the opponent he narrowly defeated, Keiko Itokazu, who ran a clear anti-base campaign centered on closing US bases and sending home US forces. With 98 percent of the vote tallied, Mr. Nakaima won by a total of 343,688 votes to 307,965 for Ms. Itokazu.

For more information, visit Okinawan Peace Fighters and Okinawan Peace Network of Los Angeles