Mayor backed by PM Abe's ruling party to run in Okinawa governor election

An Okinawa mayor said Tuesday he will run in the Sept. 30 Okinawa gubernatorial election, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government expected to support him to push ahead with a plan to transfer a U.S. air base within the prefecture.Atsushi Sakima, the 54-year-old mayor of Ginowan where the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma sits, emphasized the importance of "rebuilding ties" with the central government as he declared his candidacy in the election that follows the death of incumbent Gov. Takeshi Onaga, who was against the base relocation plan."Okinawa has continuously clashed with the …READ FULL ARTICLE