Independent wary of defense buildup elected mayor of remote Japan islet

A former local assembly member won Sunday's Yonaguni mayoral election after a campaign dominated by the issue of the Self-Defense Forces' buildup on the island, Japan's westernmost outpost, as China becomes increasingly assertive in the region.Tsuneo Uechi, a 61-year-old independent, beat incumbent mayor Kenichi Itokazu, 72, and another former local assembly member Chiyoki Tasato, 67. Uechi has expressed caution about further expansion of defenses from the current level on Yonaguni, located about 110 kilometers east of Taiwan.Uechi secured victory with 557 votes, while Itokazu garnered 506 …READ FULL ARTICLE