Nago voters headed to the polls Sunday in a mayoral campaign dominated by the issue of whether to accept or reject construction of a replacement facility in the Henoko district for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
Local media polls continued to show incumbent Mayor Susumu Inamine, 68, a staunch opponent of putting any base in Henoko, leading his pro-base rival, Bunshin Suematsu, 65, who is strongly backed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government and the national chapter of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Suematsu's campaign mounted a frantic last-ditch effort Friday and Saturday to secure the votes of the nearly 20 percent of the electorate who, as of last week, remained uncommitted.
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