https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/okinawa-election-win-may-give-tokyo-freer-hand-on-military-build-upContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/okinawa-election-win-may-give-tokyo-freer-hand-on-military-build-uphttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/okinawa-election-win-may-give-tokyo-freer-hand-on-military-build-up#u70465Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:07:34 +0000Genta Koja, a candidate backed by the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japanese Prime Minister, has won the Okinawa gubernatorial election. Koja is the first governor in 12 years to support the relocation of a Marine airfield. This political shift is expected to facilitate Tokyo's military build-up plans in the south, as voters prioritized economic growth and concerns regarding China over base relocation issues. The result removes a significant political hurdle for the central government's defense strategy in the region.Why it mattersOkinawa has long been a flashpoint for tensions be