Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday that his government will make efforts to ease Okinawa's burden of hosting the bulk of U.S. military bases in Japan and promote the prefecture's economic development.
"There are still many U.S. military facilities, imposing large burdens on the people of Okinawa," Abe told a council on Okinawa issues that was convened for the first time since his administration came to power in late December. It was attended by all Cabinet ministers and Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima.
The government will make "all-out" efforts to ease Okinawa's burdens, while maintaining the "deterrence" effect provided by the U.S. military stationed in the prefecture, Abe said at the meeting at his office.