Denny Tamaki, the anti-US base candidate in Okinawa has won the recent gubernatorial election.
The success of Mr Tamaki, an outspoken critic of the presence of US bases on Okinawa, has offered hope to the many activists within Okinawa who have sought to challenge the presence of US military bases on the island.
Campaigners have long protested the high number of US troops already stationed in Okinawa– 25,000 – as well as the high murder and sexual violence rates linked to the 33 US installations already on the island.
Campaigning on this anti-US bases platform, Tamaki’s election is a serious challenge to the Japanese and American government’s plans to construct a contentious new US Marine base on the island.
CND congratulates Mr Tamaki on his success, and adds its voice to the numerous peace and democratic activists across the globe calling for an end to the destructive presence of US bases internationally.