Gov. Onaga at 20th WUB Network Conference 2016 Credit: WUB Hawaii
Takeshi Onaga, the governor of Okinawa, passed away on 8 August 2018 from complications of pancreatic cancer.
He was born in 1950 in Naha into a political family. His father, Josei, was mayor of Naha at the time of his birth. Although his mother discouraged him from following in his father’s footsteps, Onaga decided, while in elementary school, that he wanted to become a politician. When he studied at Hosei University in Tokyo, Onaga needed a passport from American-occupied Okinawa to enter mainland Japan.
Onaga was a rare conservative politician who stood up to the leaders of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. In 2014, he ran for the governorship on a platform that opposed the relocation of the Futenma Air Base to Henoko in northern Okinawa and called for the ending of American occupation of Okinawa. He won the governorship and in October 2015 Onaga revoked the land reclamation permit needed for construction in Henoko.
On 11 August 2018, 70,000 people attended a rally in Okinawa in honor of Governor Onaga’s memory and his struggle against the relocation of Futenma Air Station to Henoko in northern Okinawa.
Onaga enjoyed close ties with Hawaii and was a strong supporter of WUB Network. In a statement read at WUB Network’s 21st Conference, Governor Onaga expressed that “WUB’s engagement in business throughout the world holds immense significance in Okinawa.” (source) Governor Onaga was named Honorary Chair of the 20th WUB Network Conference held during the 2016 Taikai.
During the 2016 Taikai, Governor Onaga joined Hawaii’s Governor David Ige and WUB Network President Steve Kishaba Sombrero.
Gov. David Ige, Steve Sombrero, and Gov. Takeshi Onaga at 2016 Taikai
References
Motoko Rich. 2018. “Okinawa governor criticized U.S. military base presence.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser/ New York Times
Shannon Tiezzi. 2015. “It’s Official: Okinawa Governor Withdraws Permission for US Base Construction.” The Diplomat.
Wu Li Jun. “Celebrating 20 years of bonds built through business, the WUB vow to “Work the Net Together” at conference in Hawaii.” Ryukyu Shimpo, 3 September 2017.