(12 Feb 2014) US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy has made her first visit to the southernmost island of Okinawa, hoping to get support for a controversial plan to relocate a US military base.
To wrap up the second day of her Okinawa visit, Kennedy spoke at an evening reception hosted by the US Consul-General in Okinawa.
Speaking in front of an audience of 70 local leaders, she said that the US was working on reducing the impact of the US military presence in Okinawa.
"The United States committed to working with you and the government of Japan to make that happen as rapidly as possible," she said.
Earlier on on Wednesday, Kennedy met with Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima, who expressed hopes that they could work together on relocating the base.
Nakaima supports the relocation of Futenma air station from Ginowan city to the Henoko district of Nago, but many others are opposed, including the Nago mayor.
The plan is backed by the US government.
Half of the 50-thousand US troops in Japan are on Okinawa, which takes up less than one percent of Japanese territory.
Many Okinawans want Futenma closed and moved completely off the island.
Kennedy, who has drawn much attention as a celebrity since arriving last year, will visit a castle and a high school and attend an evening reception before departing on Thursday.
The US has proposed a broad plan to consolidate and reduce its troop presence in Okinawa, including a 1996 agreement to move the Marines Corps Futenma air station to Henoko.
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