Nago mayor-elect wows to handle base issue as administrative chief

February 5, 2018

Nago, Okinawa Pref.- Taketoyo Toguchi, mayor-elect of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, said Monday he will respond to a controversial plan to move a key US military base to Nago as chief of the city's administrative affairs.

The comment is apparently intended to contrast his stance with the readiness of incumbent Mayor Susumu Inamine to use his authority as mayor to block the construction of a new facility in the Henoko coastal district in Nago to take over the functions of the US Marine Corps' Futenma air station, now located in a congested area in Ginowan, Okinawa.

In Sunday's mayoral race, Toguchi won 20,389 votes to defeat Inamine, who received 16,931 votes. During his campaign, Toguchi did not clarify whether or not he supported the relocation plan, which is based on an agreement between Tokyo and Washington.

Speaking to reporters at his home in Nago Monday morning, Toguchi said the outcome of the election reflects the "complicated will of the people."

Toguchi said he hopes to set up a consultative body with the central government to discuss ways to reduce the city's burden of hosting US bases.

At the same time, the mayor-elect said, "We must maintain a certain distance (from Tokyo)." Jiji Press