Japan and the United States will meet this week to try to strike a deal by the July 31 deadline on reviewing criminal procedures for U.S. military personnel accused of crimes, officials of both countries said Tuesday.
The meeting will be held Thursday in Honolulu, they said.
The U.S. has been calling for improving the rights of accused military personnel by allowing a U.S. government official to be present during interrogations by Japanese police.
But Japan has insisted that suspects' human rights are fully protected under Japan's Code of Criminal Procedure.
Japan and the U.S. agreed in June to launch talks on a possible review of criminal procedures under the Status of Forces Agreement. The agreement came after a U.S. Marine in Okinawa was handed over to Japanese authorities and arrested on suspicion of raping a woman in May.
The two countries made little progress at previous two meetings earlier this month.
According to a U.S. official, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Richard Lawless will head the U.S. delegation.