Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine, who opposes a plan to relocate the operations of a key U.S. Marine Corps base to his city in Okinawa, said Wednesday he will seek a third four-year term.
The defining issue of the election, slated for Feb. 4, will likely be the planned transfer of the operations of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from a residential area in Ginowan to a new airstrip to be built at the less-populated Henoko coastal district in Nago. Official campaigning will start Jan. 28.
"By every possible means, I am determined to take a firm stand, together with Gov. Takeshi Onaga, to stop construction of the new Henoko base and bring an end to the issue," the 72-year-old mayor told a news conference in Nago.