(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) Japanese PM-backed candidate wins Okinawa gubernatorial election | Conflict News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/14/japanese-pm-backed-candidate-wins-okinawa-gubernatorial-election)                                               (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/9/14/japanese-pm-backed-candidate-wins-okinawa-gubernatorial-election)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/AFP__20260914__C88E6ZU__v1__HighRes__JapanPoliticsVoteOkinawa-1789350158.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2026/09/AFP__20260914__C88E6ZU__v1__HighRes__JapanPoliticsVoteOkinawa-1789350158.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6c6e15fe.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.e3bc53a0.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.74fd263a.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~5db14389.c7afea12.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~41c72a2c.3f309873.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~06be7c11.0625e98d.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/pages/article-page~493df0b3.accd71c7.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (japanese-pm-backed-candidate-wins-okinawa-gubernatorial-election@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News |(https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/conflict/) Conflict   Japanese PM-backed candidate wins Okinawa gubernatorial election Genta Koja beat two-term incumbent Denny Tamaki, who wants a major US military base to be moved out of Okinawa.   Listen   Listen (2 mins)       Save       Share Japanese PM-backed candidate wins Okinawa gubernatorial election on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fkxz0ej) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Japanese%20PM-backed%20candidate%20wins%20Okinawa%20gubernatorial%20election&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fkxz0ej) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fkxz0ej) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/kxz0ej)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      (A man raises his arms among a crowd of cheering supporters at an election night gathering.)   Genta Koja celebrates with his supporters after reports projected his victory in the Okinawa gubernatorial election in Naha, Okinawa prefecture, on September 13, 2026 [Jiji Press/AFP]      (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458)     By  Reuters, AP, AFPand (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458) Al Jazeera Staff    Published On 14 Sep 2026 14 Sep 2026    Genta Koja has defeated two-term incumbent Denny Tamaki in the race for governor of Japan’s southernmost prefecture, potentially ending more than a decade of opposition to a United States military build-up in the region. He won 59 percent of the vote in Sunday’s election, officials announced on Monday. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/13/japan-protests-as-russias-putin-visits-disputed-kuril-islands) Japan protests as Russia’s Putin visits disputed Kuril Islands  list 2 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/24/japan-builds-up-its-southern-shield-as-faith-in-us-security-cover-falters) Japan builds up its ‘southern shield’ as faith in US security cover falters  list 3 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/13/what-is-japans-new-intelligence-agency-and-why-is-tokyo-building-it) What is Japan’s new intelligence agency, and why is Tokyo building it?   end of list  Koja, a former deputy mayor of Okinawa’s capital, Naha, was backed by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party. He beat Tamaki, 66, who has long pushed for a major US military base to be moved out of Okinawa. The 42-year-old will become the youngest Okinawa governor since the prefecture was returned to Japan from US rule in 1972. He will also become its first governor born after the reversion. His election could end Okinawa’s legal efforts to block the relocation of US Marines from the Futenma air base to a new facility at Henoko on the prefecture’s main island, according to Masaaki Gabe, a professor emeritus at the University of the Ryukyus. Gabe also said it may make it easier to expand military access to airports and ports. “Koja could reasonably be expected to approve their designation, opening wholly civilian facilities to military use,” Gabe added. Koja’s victory comes as Takaichi prepares to unveil a new national security strategy this year that is expected to accelerate Japan’s biggest military build-up since World War II. Her administration said increased defence spending was necessary to deter China from using military force to advance its territorial ambitions in East Asia. Advertisement    Okinawa forms part of what military planners call the first island chain, a string of territory stretching from Japan through the Philippines that constrains China’s access to the western Pacific. Yonaguni Island, Japan’s westernmost territory, lies 110km (68 miles) east of Taiwan. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military activity around the democratically governed island. Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have risen since (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/15/china-issues-travel-warning-for-japan-over-threats-to-intervene-in-taiwan) Takaichi said last year that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could also threaten Japan and trigger a military response by Tokyo.            aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss     (https://bsky.app/profile/aljazeera.com) bluesky     (https://www.tiktok.com/@aljazeeraenglish) tiktok-colored-outline                  (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network