TOKYO — Okinawans headed to the polls Sunday to choose a governor in an election that many see hinging on how voters feel about the American military presence on the southwestern Japanese islands. The race among four candidates is close between two: an outspoken critic of the U.S. military presence and a ruling party-backed candidate pushing the status quo. He wanted the bases off Okinawa. Okinawa houses about two-thirds of the more than 50,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan under a bilateral security treaty. Futenma is at the centre of the controversy over the government relocation plan for U.S. troops to less densely populated Henoko in Nago, Okinawa.

Source: National Post September 30, 2018 00:47 UTC