擁 — hug, embrace, possess, protect, lead

この作家は一方的軍備廃棄論の擁護者だ。

The author is a unilateralist.

その多くを擁する大寺院は七堂伽藍と呼ばれる。

A large temple complex that has most of these elements is called a shichido garan (which literally means "seven-hall temple" or a group of seven buildings that are supposed to form the heart of an ideal Buddhist temple).

これに対して蓮實重彦は『反日本語論』や『表層批評宣言』などの中で志賀を擁護した。

In contrast, Shigehiko HASUMI defended SHIGA in his writing, "Han nihongo ron (Against the Japanese Language)" and "Hyoso hihyo sengen (A Critique of the Surface Layer)."