1968 Okinawa gubernatorial election

1968 Okinawa gubernatorial election

10 November 1968
Turnout	89.11
Nominee Chōbyō Yara Junji Nishime Party OSMP LDP
Elected Governor Chōbyō Yara OSMP

A gubernatorial election was held on 10 November 1968 to elect the first Governor of Okinawa (山口県, Okinawa-ken), the prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan.

At that time, the islands were administered by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands.

Candidates

• Chōbyō Yara, 65, endorsed by OSMP, JSP, JCP. He wanted a direct return of the island within Japan, and the rapid evacuation of US military bases.
• Junji Nishime, 47, backed by LDP. He wanted a negotiated and gradual return to Japan, and the maintenance of military bases.
• Takehiko Noka, 40, for the Ryukyu independence movement. He did not want a return to the empire of Japan, but an independent republic, without US bases.

Results

Okinawa gubernatorial 1968

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Okinawa Social Mass	Chōbyō Yara	237,643	53.51
	LDP	Junji Nishime	206,209	46.43
	Kariyushi Club	Takehiko Noka	279	0.06
Total valid votes			444,131	96.73
Turnout			459,136	89.11
Registered electors			515,246

See also

• 第1回行政主席通常選挙 (Japanese Wikipedia)