2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election
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| Turnout | 63.24% 0.89% | |||||||||||||||||||
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Results by subdivision Tamaki: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% Sakima: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election was held on 30 September 2018 to elect the next governor of Okinawa. As there are no term limits in Japan, incumbent Governor Takeshi Onaga was eligible for re-election before his death in August 2018. The election was originally scheduled to be held on 9 December 2018, but this was brought forward after Onaga's untimely death. Onaga's deputy, Kiichiro Jahana temporarily assumed his post for three days until being replaced as interim governor by Moritake Tomikawa. This was the first gubernatorial election in Okinawa since the voting age was lowered to 18.
The relocation of the US air base in Ginowan to Nago was a major issue in the race. The campaign period ran from 13 September until election day.
The election was won by Denny Tamaki. Tamaki, like Onaga, wants a fundamental reduction of the U.S. presence in Okinawa.