Okinawa's Tamaki Urges Tokyo, Washington to Discuss with Locals

   Washington, Sept. 9 (Jiji Press)--Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki on Monday requested that Tokyo and Washington have more talks with locals in the southern Japan prefecture, following the revelation in June of a series of sexual assaults by U.S. servicemen there.
   "It is important to have many opportunities for dialogue between the Japanese central and U.S. governments and local communities," he said in a speech at the Hudson Institute, a think tank in Washington.
   Tamaki also said that he was greatly shocked and could not help but feel anxiety and distrust because the crimes of U.S. servicemen were not reported to the Okinawa prefectural government.
   For the stable maintenance of the Japan-U.S. security system, the understanding of local communities is essential, he went on.
   Separately, Tamaki met with Kenneth Weinstein, the Japan chair at the Hudson Institute. Weinstein was nominated in 2020 by then U.S. President Donald Trump as U.S. ambassador to Japan, but the nomination was not approved due to stalled congressional proceedings.

(2024/09/10-15:06)

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