Okinawa governor votes early over U.S. base relocation

February 15, 2019

Okinawa--Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki on Friday voted early in a referendum on the planned relocation of a U.S. base within the southernmost Japan prefecture.

The governor cast his vote at the Okinawa city government office as he plans to visit Tokyo on Feb. 24, when the referendum will take place across Okinawa Prefecture.

That day, Tamaki will attend a ceremony to celebrate the 30 years since Emperor Akihito came to the throne.

"Voting is very meaningful," Tamaki told reporters, asking prefectural residents to make sure to cast their ballots.

Tamaki declined to comment on whether he voted against the central government's landfill work needed to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air station in Ginowan to the Henoko coastal district in Nago. Jiji Press