Communist politician Masahiro Akamine is expected to lose in Okinawa District 1, where his party previously secured its only national single-member electoral seat in the last election.
Masahiro Akamine, a 78-year-old former Communist representative, is projected to lose in Okinawa's District 1 in the upcoming election. Akamine is running as a dual candidate in both the single-member district and the proportional representation segment. Notably, this district was the only single-member seat won by the Communist Party during the last House of Representatives election in 2024, thus marking its significance for the party.
Akamine first entered the House of Representatives following the 2000 elections through proportional representation. Since 2014, he has been backed by the 'All Okinawa' political coalition, opposing the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko in Nago City. He has successfully defended his seat against candidates endorsed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party multiple times, showcasing the tense and competitive political landscape of Okinawa, which is often highlighted in national dialogues.
In the latest campaign, despite Akamine's alliance with Governor Denny Tamaki and the continued push to halt the relocation of the airbase, the anticipated election results suggest a challenging end for him. The political climate indicates a shift, with voter sentiments possibly evolving away from the traditional stronghold of the Communist Party in this specific region, raising questions about the future of left-leaning politics in Okinawa amidst increasing conservative influences from the national government.
