NAHA/TOKYO -- The heightened tensions surrounding Taiwan loom large over nearby Okinawa's gubernatorial election, now just a month away, with the debate over U.S. bases in the prefecture taking on new urgency.
The race follows an upper house election last month that saw the opposition-backed candidate squeak through with a narrow margin. Japan's ruling coalition, which wants to advance the relocation of a U.S. base, may have an opportunity to break through amid growing security worries, but the three-way race could end up splitting its base of potential voters.
