NAHA ¨C Independent candidate Tsuneo Uechi has been elected mayor of the town of Yonaguni, Okinawa Prefecture, a result that could influence the central government¡¯s defense policy.
Uechi, 61, who was elected mayor of the westernmost Japan town for the first time in Sunday¡¯s election, has shown understanding of the deployment of Self-Defense Forces in the town but takes a cautious stance on expanding defense capabilities further.
In 2016, the government opened the Ground SDF¡¯s Camp Yonaguni in the town to enhance the defense system for the Nansei island chain in southwestern Japan. A missile unit is planned for future deployment.
During the election campaign, Uechi, a former member of the town assembly, expanded his support base by advocating measures to address population decline and secure local medical care.
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