External threats, US bases, and prudent voters in Okinawa†

A number of US overseas bases were deployed around the world to protect allies and maintain regional peace. Some bases have been sta-tioned in the partner countries for the long term, whereas others were withdrawn from their partners ’ territories in the face of strong local op-position. Understanding local support for US overseas bases is indispens-able for managing alliance politics and pursuing US grand strategy. This article addresses the 1972–2006 Okinawa gubernatorial elections where the US base issue had been chronically politicized and locals supported pro-base candidates six out of ten times contrary to their anti-base prefer-ences. This article addresses external threats as a determinant of vot