ISTANBUL 

A high-ranking Japanese official has traveled to the US to address concerns about sexual abuse committed by American soldiers stationed in Japan, particularly in Okinawa province.

Tamaki Denny, governor of Okinawa, met with US State Department and Defense officials Nicholas Snyder and Grace Park in Washington on Wednesday, raising concerns over a series of sexual misconduct cases involving US military personnel, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

Okinawa, home to 31 US military-exclusive facilities, hosts about half of the 50,000 US troops deployed in Japan under a bilateral security pact.

Tamaki highlighted ongoing issues with the mutual agreement that requires the US to report criminal cases involving its personnel to local authorities. "Such incidents have been kept hidden," Tamaki said, urging US officials to uphold the agreement.

“It is important to build a relationship of trust from the standpoint of recognizing the Japan-US alliance,” he added, stressing the need for transparency and accountability.

According to Japan’s National Police Agency, in 2023, 72 of the 118 criminal cases involving US military personnel in Japan occurred in Okinawa.

Since 1972, when Okinawa was returned to Japan from US control, the province has seen 6,163 criminal cases involving US troops, including 134 rape cases, 398 robberies, and 27 murders.

Earlier this week, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa pledged that Okinawa would be informed of the results of ongoing investigations into sexual assault cases.

"We will take appropriate measures based on the results," she said, adding that a joint body has been established to foster cooperation between the US and Japan in addressing these issues.