IWAKUNI, Yamaguchi Pref. — Sunday's mayoral election, in which Yoshihiko Fukuda, a former Diet member, narrowly defeated former Mayor Katsusuke Ihara, is expected to ease tensions between Tokyo and Iwakuni over the planned relocation of U.S. military aircraft to a base here.
But if the vote for Fukuda, who advocates the relocation, was one step forward for the move — which is part of a broader reorganization of U.S. forces in Japan — other issues remain, including a housing shortage in the city. And Monday's arrest of a U.S. Marine in Okinawa suspected of raping a 14-year-old girl could prove to be a new setback.
With voter turnout exceeding 76 percent, Fukuda won 47,081 votes to Ihara's 45,299. Both ran without official party backing, although Fukuda was supported by the ruling coalition parties and Ihara by the opposition parties.