Takeshi Onaga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Takeshi Onaga
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翁長 雄志
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Onaga in 2016
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| 7th Governor of Okinawa Prefecture | |
| In office 10 December 2014 – 8 August 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Hirokazu Nakaima |
| Succeeded by | Kiichiro Jahana (Interim) |
| Mayor of Naha | |
| In office November 2000 – 3 October 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Kōsei Oyadomari |
| Succeeded by | Mikiko Shiroma |
| Member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly | |
| In office 1992–1996 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 October 1950 Naha, Ryukyu Islands |
| Died | 8 August 2018 (aged 67) Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | Hosei University |
Takeshi Onaga (翁長 雄志, Onaga Takeshi) (born October 2, 1950 – died August 8, 2018) was an important Japanese politician. He served as the seventh Governor of Okinawa Prefecture from 2014 until his death in 2018.
Before becoming governor, Onaga was a member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly from 1992 to 1996. He also served four terms as the mayor of Naha. Naha is the capital and largest city in Okinawa Prefecture. He was mayor from 2000 to 2014. Onaga was elected governor as an independent candidate. His time as governor was known for his strong disagreement with the U.S. military bases in Okinawa. Onaga passed away from an illness in August 2018 at age 67. Denny Tamaki later became the new governor.
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Takeshi Onaga's Early Life
Takeshi Onaga was born on October 2, 1950, in Naha, Okinawa. At that time, Okinawa was under American military rule. This was after Japan lost World War II. His father, Josei Onaga, was also a politician who had been the mayor of Naha. His mother, Kazuko, was a merchant (someone who buys and sells goods).
According to a book about him, Onaga was interested in politics from a young age. When he was only 12 years old, he told his friends he wanted to be mayor. Onaga went to Hosei University in Tokyo for his studies. However, Okinawa was still controlled by America, unlike the rest of Japan. This meant he needed a passport just to travel to Tokyo.
Takeshi Onaga's Political Journey
After finishing university, Onaga returned to Okinawa. This was shortly before the United States gave the islands back to Japan in 1972. He worked briefly for a construction company. Then, in 1985, Onaga ran for and was elected to the Naha City Council. He was part of the Liberal Democratic Party. In 1992, Onaga became a member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly.
Becoming Mayor of Naha
Onaga became the Mayor of Naha in 2000. He ran as an independent candidate. During his time as mayor, Onaga supported a plan to move the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. This military base was in a busy urban area near Naha. The plan was to move it to a quieter area of the island in Nago.
His biographer said that Onaga supported this move with some hesitation. He felt the base was not what the people of Okinawa wanted. However, as mayor, he felt he did not have the power to go against the Japanese central government, which supported the move. Onaga served four terms as mayor. He then became the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture in 2014.
His Time as Governor
Onaga was elected governor in 2014. He won against the person who was governor before him, Hirokazu Nakaima. His campaign promised to stop the Futenma Base from being moved within Okinawa. He also wanted to reduce the U.S. military presence in Okinawa.
In October 2015, Onaga took back the land reclamation permit. This permit was needed for the base construction to continue. His strong stand also made him a target of false rumors online. For example, in April 2015, a former Japanese military chief tweeted untrue stories about Onaga's daughter. These stories tried to link Onaga's views to the Chinese Communist Party.
Takeshi Onaga's Final Years
Onaga was diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor in April 2018. He had surgery and returned to work in May. However, a newspaper reported that he looked "visibly weakened" at a memorial service in June.
Onaga passed away at a hospital in Urasoe on August 8, 2018. This was just four days after he announced his "last resort" plan. This plan was to withdraw permission for the U.S. military construction. His deputy, Kiichiro Jahana, took over as governor for a short time. He announced that a new election would be held within 50 days. About 70,000 people gathered in Okinawa on August 11, 2018. They honored Onaga's memory and his fight against moving the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko Bay.
See also
In Spanish: Takeshi Onaga para niños
