“TO MOVE OKINAWA forward…that is my mission,” said Koja Genta to a cheering crowd in Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost prefecture(县，行政区). Mr Koja, backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and five other mostly conservative parties, was challenging Tamaki Denny, a left-leaning governor seeking a third term.(国场得到执政的自民党及其他五个以保守派为主的政党支持，向寻求第三个任期的左倾知事玉城丹尼发起挑战。) Few expected what followed. On September 13th Mr Koja won in a landslide(以压倒性优势获胜), taking nearly 60% of the vote.
“推动冲绳向前……这是我的使命，”国场幸太在日本最南端的冲绳县对欢呼的人群说道。国场得到执政的自民党及其他五个以保守派为主的政党支持，向寻求第三个任期的左倾知事玉城丹尼发起挑战。很少有人预料到接下来的结果。9月13日，国场以压倒性优势获胜，拿下近60%的选票。
Okinawa’s election matters far beyond its shores(海岸，国境). The prefecture, which lies roughly 400 miles south of Japan’s main islands, hosts most of America’s military facilities in the country and sits close to Taiwan, making it central to American and Japanese plans to deter China.(该县位于日本主要岛屿以南约400英里处，驻扎着美国在日本的大部分军事设施，且靠近台湾，因此对美日遏制中国的计划至关重要。) Yet its politics have long been shaped by resistance to the bases and friction(摩擦，冲突) with Tokyo. Mr Koja’s victory suggests that this is changing as economic worries grow, especially among younger voters; and, at 42, he will be Okinawa’s youngest governor and the first born after America returned Okinawa to Japan five decades ago. The result will make it easier for the government to pursue its military build-up(军事集结，扩军) in the region.
冲绳的选举影响远超其海岸线。该县位于日本主要岛屿以南约400英里处，驻扎着美国在日本的大部分军事设施，且靠近台湾，因此对美日遏制中国的计划至关重要。然而，长期以来，冲绳政治一直由对基地的抵制和与东京的摩擦所塑造。国场的胜利表明，随着经济忧虑加剧，尤其是年轻选民，这种情况正在改变；42岁的他将成为冲绳最年轻的知事，也是50年前美国将冲绳归还日本后出生的第一位知事。这一结果将使政府更容易在该地区推进军事建设。
Mr Tamaki, who is 66, embodied(体现，代表) a politics of resistance that had long defined Okinawa. He became governor in 2018 at the head of(领导，率领) a broad coalition(联盟，联合政府) opposed to a plan to replace an existing American base by building a big new one at Henoko, on the east coast of Okinawa’s main island. Residents of Okinawa have endured noise, pollution, accidents and crimes involving servicemen(军人). The rape of a 12-year-old girl by three Americans in 1995 sparked deep outrage. The grievances carry particular weight because of Okinawa’s history; once an independent kingdom, the islands were invaded and annexed by Japan, devastated during the second world war and then ruled by America until 1972.(由于冲绳的历史，这些不满情绪尤为沉重；这里曾是一个独立王国，后被日本入侵并吞并，二战期间遭到毁灭性破坏，之后由美国统治直至1972年。)
66岁的玉城丹尼体现了一种长期定义冲绳的抵抗政治。他于2018年当选知事，领导一个广泛联盟，反对在冲绳本岛东海岸的边野古建造大型新基地以取代现有美军基地的计划。冲绳居民长期忍受噪音、污染、事故以及涉及军人的犯罪。1995年三名美国人强奸一名12岁女孩的事件引发了强烈愤怒。由于冲绳的历史，这些不满情绪尤为沉重；这里曾是一个独立王国，后被日本入侵并吞并，二战期间遭到毁灭性破坏，之后由美国统治直至1972年。