Opponents of U.S. base transfer keep majority in Okinawa assembly

Candidates opposing the planned relocation of a key U.S. military base in Okinawa maintained a majority in Sunday's local assembly election in Nago, where the replacement facility will be built.The result could bode ill for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push for the long-stalled transfer of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and also affect the Okinawa gubernatorial election on Sept. 30.Candidates opposed to the relocation of the base from a crowded residential area of Ginowan to a less populated coastal district in Nago won 15 seats in the 26-member assembly.Among the 32 candidates, 1…READ FULL ARTICLE