Candidates make final pitches in Okinawa with U.S. base issue eyed

Candidates running in the Okinawa gubernatorial election made their final pitches Saturday, the last day of campaigning, with the transfer plan for a key U.S. military base within the prefecture in focus as a major issue.While four candidates are vying for the governor's seat which has been vacant since Takeshi Onaga died of pancreatic cancer early last month, the election is widely seen as a battle between 54-year-old Atsushi Sakima, a former Ginowan mayor with support from the ruling parties, and 58-year-old former opposition lawmaker Denny Tamaki.Onaga was a staunch opponent of the plan …READ FULL ARTICLE