Foreign Minister Yohei Kono will meet Sunday with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine and other officials in Okinawa to discuss issues relating to the U.S. military presence in the prefecture, Kono said Friday.
Kono said after the day's Cabinet meeting that he will also meet Brig. Gen. Willie Williams, the No. 2 U.S. military commander in Okinawa.
Kono's visit comes at a time of growing criticism of the United States by Okinawa residents after a series of incidents involving U.S. military personnel, including arson attacks allegedly carried out by a U.S. Marine in the town of Chatan.