Editorial

15:42 JST, January 29, 2026

Intrusions into Japan’s territorial waters by China Coast Guard vessels around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture have become the norm. Late last year, the Chinese military conducted large-scale military exercises around Taiwan.

It can be said that the result of the mayoral election indicates that awareness among residents that the presence of U.S. forces in Japan is indispensable for protecting Japan’s territory and territorial waters has grown to a certain extent.

In the mayoral election in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, incumbent Mayor Taketoyo Toguchi, backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and other parties that support the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, to the Henoko district in Nago, secured a third term by a large margin. He defeated other candidates,........

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