3 men to run for Nago mayor

3 men to run for Nago mayor

NAGO, Japan - Three men filed their candidacies Jan. 15 for the upcoming mayoral election in Nago, where the major issue for the Okinawa Prefecture city is whether it should host the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station. The three vying to succeed retiring Mayor Tateo Kishimoto are (file photos from L to R) Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, 59, backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito party, Munehiro Gakiya, 59, an independent, and Yoshitami Oshiro, 65, supported by the Democratic Party of Japan, Japanese Communist Party and Social Democratic Party.

3 men to run for Nago mayor

3 men to run for Nago mayor

NAGO, Japan - Three men filed their candidacies Jan. 15 for the upcoming mayoral election in Nago, where the major issue for the Okinawa Prefecture city is whether it should host the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station. The three vying to succeed retiring Mayor Tateo Kishimoto are (file photos from L to R) Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, 59, backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito party, Munehiro Gakiya, 59, an independent, and Yoshitami Oshiro, 65, supported by the Democratic Party of Japan, Japanese Communist Party and Social Democratic Party. (Kyodo)

Okinawa's Konan HS baseball team manager Gakiya turns 65

Okinawa's Konan HS baseball team manager Gakiya turns 65

Masaru Gakiya, manager of the Konan High School baseball team in Okinawa Prefecture, speaks during an interview in Naha on June 19, 2015. Gakiya, who turned 65 on June 23, led the school to victory in both the spring and summer national high school baseball tournaments in 2010 and was himself Konan's captain when the team made it to the semifinals in the 1968 summer championship at Koshien Stadium. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo