2002 Okinawa gubernatorial election

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2002 Okinawa gubernatorial election

| country = Okinawa

| ongoing = no

| type = presidential

| turnout = 57.22 {{decrease}} 9.32

| previous_election = 1998 Okinawa gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1998

| election_date = 17 November 2002

| next_election = 2006 Okinawa gubernatorial election

| next_year = 2006

| time_zone = +9

| title = Governor

| before_election = Keiichi Inamine

| before_party = LDP

| after_election = Keiichi Inamine

| after_party = LDP

}}

A gubernatorial election was held on 17 November 2002 to elect the Governor of {{nihongo|Okinawa|山口県|Okinawa-ken}}, who is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan.

Candidates

  • Keiichi Inamine, 69, incumbent (elected in 1998), backed by LDP, NK and NCP.
  • Masanori Yoshimoto, 65, former vice governor of Okinawa prefecture, endorsed by DPJ, SDP, OSMP, LP.
  • Shigenobu Araki, 60, president of Okinawa Prefecture Medical Co-op, chairman of the local chapter of JCP.
  • Mitsuo Matayoshi, 54, a conservative Protestant preacher. He led his own party, the World Economic Community Party.{{cite news |title=Three challengers enter gubernatorial race in Okinawa |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2002/11/01/national/three-challengers-enter-gubernatorial-race-in-okinawa/}}

Results

{{Election box begin | title=Okinawa gubernatorial election, 2002{{cite news |title= 沖縄知事選 過去の得票数と得票率の推移|author= |newspaper= 琉球新報|date= |url= http://ryukyushimpo.jp/uploads/img4ce0cdffe554f.pdf|accessdate= }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)

|candidate = Keiichi Inamine *

|votes = 359,604

|percentage = 64.38

|change = {{increase}} 11.95

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party of Japan

|candidate = Masanori Yoshimoto

|votes = 148,401

|percentage = 26.57

|change = {{decrease}} 19.38

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Japanese Communist Party

|candidate = Shigenobu Araki

|votes = 46,230

|percentage = 8.38

|change = n/a

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = World Economic Community Party

|candidate = Mitsuo Matayoshi

|votes = 4,330

|percentage = 0.67

|change = {{increase}} 0.30

}}

{{Election box total valid|

|votes = 558,565

|percentage = 98.91

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 564.751

|percentage = 57.22

|change = {{decrease}} 9.32

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 987.030

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)

|swing = 37.81

}}

{{Election box end}}

This is the first time that the JCP has presented a candidate of its own, outside the opposition alliance.

References

{{reflist}}

{{Elections in Okinawa Prefecture}}

Category:2002 elections in Japan

Category:Okinawa gubernatorial elections

{{Japan-election-stub}}